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At least 1,333 records · Page 74

Enhancement of Hydrophilic Characteristics of Non-Wetting Porous Substrates by Kaolinite Treatment

The use of porous media has enormous potential for thermal management and phase separation in terrestrial, micro, Lunar and Marian gravity environments. Recently, a porous media based gravity insensitive condensing heat exchanger for humidity control has been proposed and successfully demonstrated by the authors. A strongly hydrophilic porous substrate is essential for condensing and trapping water vapor from the airstreams. However, most porous media which have good thermal characteristics are poorly wetting to water. This poses a significant obstacle in the development of the porous media based condensing heat exchanger. In response to this problem, a clay based process was developed for improving the wettability of non-wetting and partially wetting porous media. It was demonstrated that poorly wetting porous graphite as well as porous stainless steel could be converted to a completely wetting porous substrate by kaolinite treatment. The process enhances the wettability of both the surface and the interior pores. The paper presents experimental results of enhanced wettability of the treated substrate in terms of imbibition rate and capillary pressure as a function of saturation. The long term stability of the treated surface is also investigated and discussed.

Khan, Lutful I.↗

Opportunities for Utilization of Low-Cost Algae Resources: Techno-Economic Analysis Screening for Near-Term Deployment (Parts 1 and 2)

This report presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) for the production, collection, or procurement of several low-cost algae resources that may otherwise be considered "waste" biomass materials today, as well as the utilization of these materials through exemplary conversion processes to produce renewable fuels and chemicals. In contrast to conventional TEA models attributed to large-scale algae "farming" approaches, which may be able to produce substantially more biomass and thus fuels/products at a national scale in the future, this assessment focuses on understanding opportunities and costs for such "waste" algal biomass resources as may be available at considerably lower cost today. Economics for base case assumptions and a range of sensitivity scenarios are presented, employing conversion technologies that are simple and well understood, and thus may be deployed at smaller community scale in the near term, as a means to support and expand a nascent algae industry on the way to employing a larger commercial algae farm approach for commodity-scale production. Specifically, three algal biomass resources are considered in this assessment, as may be sourced from (1) municipal wastewater treatment (WWT) utilizing algae in place of more conventional technologies for nitrogen/phosphorus removal, (2) collection and removal of harmful algal bloom (HAB) biomass as proliferates in certain inland water bodies, and (3) procurement of residual biomass following commercial lipid extraction (EXT) operations performed at smaller scale by industry today focused on higher-value nutraceutical applications. These three resources are evaluated through two conversion pathways: (1) combined algal biomass processing (CAP) through a simple/low-complexity configuration, and (2) anaerobic digestion (AD). The CAP pathway produces liquid fuels and chemical coproducts (polymer for off-site upgrading to bioplastics), whereas the AD pathway produces biogas (specifically renewable natural gas [RNG]) and crop fertilizer coproducts. To streamline the discussion, this report is broken into two sections: Part 1 focuses on WWT-derived biomass, and Part 2 on HAB and EXT biomass.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Progress and roadmap for electro-privileged transformations of bio-derived molecules

Biomass incorporates carbon captured from the atmosphere and can serve as a renewable feedstock for producing valuable chemicals and fuels. Here we look at how electrochemical approaches can impact biomass valorization, focusing on identifying chemical transformations that leverage renewable electricity and feedstocks to produce valorized products via electro-privileged transformations. First, we recommend that the field should explore widening the spectrum of platform chemicals derived from bio-feedstocks, thus offering pathways to molecules that have historically been derived from petroleum. Second, we identify opportunities in electrocatalytic production of energy-dense fuels from biomass that utilize water as the hydrogen source and renewable electricity as the driving force. Finally, we look at the potential in electrochemical depolymerization to preserve key functional groups in raw feedstocks that would otherwise be lost during harsh pre-treatments in traditional depolymerization routes. Finally, on the basis of these priorities, we suggest a roadmap for the integration of biomass and electrochemistry and offer milestones required to tap further into the potential of electrochemical biomass valorization.

electrocatalysis↗

Experimentally simulated sea level rise destabilizes carbon-mineral associations in temperate tidal marsh soil

How sea level rise (SLR) alters carbon (C) dynamics in tidal salt marsh soils is unresolved. Changes in hydrodynamics could influence organo-mineral associations, influencing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes. As SLR increases the duration of inundation, we hypothesize that lateral DOC export will increase due to reductive dissolution of C-bearing iron (Fe) oxides, destabilizing soil C stocks and influencing greenhouse gas emissions. To test this, soil cores (0–8 cm depth) were collected from the high marsh of a temperate salt marsh that currently experiences changes in water level and soil redox oscillation due to spring-neap tides. Mesocosms experimentally simulated SLR by continuously inundating high marsh soils and were compared to mesocosms with Control conditions, where the water level oscillated on a spring-neap cycle. Porewater DOC, lateral DOC, and porewater reduced Fe (Fe 2+ ) concentrations were significantly higher in SLR treatments (1.7 ± 0.5 mM, 0.63 ± 0.14 mM, and 0.15 ± 0.11 mM, respectively) than Control treatments (1.2 ± 0.35 mM, 0.56 ± 0.15 mM, and 0.08 ± 01 mM, respectively Solid phase analysis with Fe extended X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy further revealed that SLR led to > 3 times less Fe oxide-C coprecipitates than Control conditions In addition, the overall global warming potential (GWP) decreased under SLR due to suppressed CO 2 emissions. Our data suggest that SLR may increase lateral C export of current C stocks by dissolving C-bearing Fe oxides but decrease the overall GWP from emissions of soil trace gases. Finally, these findings have implications for understanding the fate of SOC dynamics under future SLR scenarios.

dissolved organic carbon↗

Thermal shock resistance of lightweight cements developed for geothermal conditions

Cements are a critical component in well construction, as they act to prevent well fluid and gas escape, prevent corrosion of the casing, and strengthen the wellbore to prevent deformation. Under the high temperature/pressure conditions common in geothermal systems, the injection of cold water for energy production is expected to induce cyclic damage to the borehole cement through the rapid temperature fluctuations. These “thermal shocks” are expected to cause casing shrinkage, annulus formation, and cement tensile stresses. To understand the effect of cold water injection on the wellbore environment, a set of rock-cement-steel samples were created to simulate the structure of a geothermal well. Lightweight thermally-insulating cement blends were tested under thermal shock conditions in this study. In each test, the samples were pressurized to an effective pressure of ~3.5 MPa and placed at high temperatures. Thermal shocks were performed by injecting cold water (~10-15 °C) through the samples at a constant rate while keeping the samples at high temperatures until the sample temperature stopped decreasing and deformation ceased. Eight thermal shock tests were conducted with each sample – two at 100 °C and six at 200 °C. Post-tests analysis was then conducted by cutting open each sample to examine the damage in each component of the simulated wellbore. Experimental results suggest that all samples experienced similar degrees of axial and lateral contraction during cold water injection, but for the most part this contraction is recoverable when injection halts. Post-test analysis revealed that fly ash cenosphere pre-treatment had the best effect on improving thermal shock resistance in the cement blends. Thermomechanical modeling of likely stress paths experienced by the cements during heating/cooling cycles shows that elasto-plastic cement constitutive behavior results in most plastic strain occurring during the initial heating steps, with mostly elastic strain occurring during the thermal shock cycles. In conclusion, this agrees with experimental evidence, suggesting that cement damage from shocking occurs via other mechanisms such as chemical alteration, corrosion, and fatigue.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Deciphering the incipient phases of ice-mineral interactions as a precursor of physical weathering

Atmospheric ice formation influences Earth’s global hydrological cycle and is widely studied. In contrast, the intricacies of freeze-thaw processes in natural soils, such as whether ice nucleation on mineral surfaces is affected by biological activity, needs additional insight. In-situ ice formation on unreacted grains and grains exposed to field and laboratory weathering conditions was studied at the submicron scale using an ice nucleation chamber interfaced with an environmental scanning electron microscope. We found that ice nucleation activity differed by treatment. Unreacted grains and fungal-mineral interfaces displayed ice formation along edges and fractures. Conversely, grains with mineral coatings, seemingly from biological activity, exhibited water uptake and ice nucleation on the coatings themselves. Our results suggest that in natural soils, mineral coatings can influence where and how ice forms. This ultimately affects weathering and nutrient release to the biosphere, with direct consequences for interactions between the atmosphere and geosphere.

Lybrand, Rebecca A.↗

Universal salt-assisted assembly of MXene from suspension on polymer substrates

Abstract Two-dimensional carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes, are promising for water-processable coatings due to their excellent electrical, thermal, and optical properties. However, depositing hydrophilic MXene nanosheets onto inert or hydrophobic polymer surfaces requires plasma treatment or chemical modification. This study demonstrates a universal salt-assisted assembly method that produces ultra-thin, uniform MXene coatings with exceptional mechanical stability and washability on various polymers, including high-performance polymers for extreme temperatures. The salt in the Ti 3 C 2 T x colloidal suspension reduces surface charges, enabling electrostatically hydrophobized MXene deposition on polymers. A library of salts was used to optimize assembly kinetics and coating morphology. A 170 nm MXene coating can reduce radiation temperature by ~200 °C on a 300 °C PEEK substrate, while the coating on Kevlar fabric provides comfort in extreme conditions, including outer space and polar regions.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Phase analysis of plasma-sprayed zirconia-yttria coatings

Phase analysis of plasma-sprayed 8 wt pct-yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings and powders was carried out by X-ray diffraction. Step scanning was used for increased peak resolution. Plasma spraying of the YSZ powder into water or onto a steel substrate to form a coating reduced the cubic and monoclinic phases with a simultaneous increase in the tetragonal phase. Heat treatment of the coating at 1150 C for 10 h in an Ar atmosphere increased the amount of cubic and monoclinic phases. The implications of these transformations on coating performance and integrity are discussed.

Shankar, N. R.↗

Measuring Hydrogen Concentrations in Metals

Commercial corrosion-measurement system adapted to electrochemical determination of hydrogen concentrations in metals. New technique based on diffusion of hydrogen through foil specimen of metal. In sample holder, hydrogen produced on one side of foil, either by corrosion reaction or by cathodic current. Hydrogen diffused through foil removed on other side by constant anode potential, which leads to oxidation of hydrogen to water. Anode current is measure of concentration of hydrogen diffusing through foil. System used to study hydrogen uptake, hydrogen elimination by baking, effect of heat treatment, and effect of electroplating on high-strength steels.

Danford, M. D.↗

Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation

The document stipulates protocols for measuring bio-optical and radiometric data for the Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project activities and algorithm development. This document supersedes the earlier version (Mueller and Austin 1995) published as Volume 25 in the SeaWiFS Technical Report Series. This document marks a significant departure from, and improvement on, theformat and content of Mueller and Austin (1995). The authorship of the protocols has been greatly broadened to include experts specializing in some key areas. New chapters have been added to provide detailed and comprehensive protocols for stability monitoring of radiometers using portable sources, abovewater measurements of remote-sensing reflectance, spectral absorption measurements for discrete water samples, HPLC pigment analysis and fluorometric pigment analysis. Protocols were included in Mueller and Austin (1995) for each of these areas, but the new treatment makes significant advances in each topic area. There are also new chapters prescribing protocols for calibration of sun photometers and sky radiance sensors, sun photometer and sky radiance measurements and analysis, and data archival. These topic areas were barely mentioned in Mueller and Austin (1995).

Fargion, Giulietta S.↗

Design and Impacts of Land-Biogenic-Atmosphere Coupling in the NASA-Unified WRF (NU-WRF) Modeling System

Land-Atmosphere coupling is typically designed and implemented independently for physical (e.g. water and energy) and chemical (e.g. biogenic emissions and surface depositions)-based models and applications. Differences in scale, data requirements, and physics thus limit the ability of Earth System models to be fully coupled in a consistent manner. In order for the physical-chemical-biological coupling to be complete, treatment of the land in terms of surface classification, condition, fluxes, and emissions must be considered simultaneously and coherently across all components. In this study, we investigate a coupling strategy for the NASA-Unified Weather Research and Forecasting (NU-WRF) model that incorporates the traditionally disparate fluxes of water and energy through NASA's LIS (Land Information System) and biogenic emissions through BEIS (Biogenic Emissions Inventory System) and MEGAN (Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature) into the atmosphere. In doing so, inconsistencies across model inputs and parameter data are resolved such that the emissions from a particular plant species are consistent with the heat and moisture fluxes calculated for that land cover type. In turn, the response of the atmospheric turbulence and mixing in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) acts on the identical surface type, fluxes, and emissions for each. In addition, the coupling of dust emission within the NU-WRF system is performed in order to ensure consistency and to maximize the benefit of high-resolution land representation in LIS. The impacts of those self-consistent components on' the simulation of atmospheric aerosols are then evaluated through the WRF-Chem-GOCART (Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport) model. Overall, this ambitious project highlights the current difficulties and future potential of fully coupled. components. in Earth System models, and underscores the importance of the iLEAPS community in supporting improved knowledge of processes and innovative approaches for models and observations.

Tan, Qian↗

Microbiological Sampling Methods and Sanitation of Edible Plants Grown on ISS

Pathogenic microbes on the surfaces of salad crops and growth chambers pose a threat to the health of crew on International Space Station. For astronauts to safely consume spacegrown vegetables produced in NASA's new vegetable production unit, VEGGIE, three technical challenges must be overcome: real-time sampling, microbiological analysis, and sanitation. Raphanus sativus cultivar Cherry Bomb II and Latuca sativa cultivar Outredgeous, two saled crops to be grown in VEGGIE, were inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), a bacterium known to cause food-borne illness~ Tape- and swab-based sampling techniques were optimized for use in microgravity and assessed for effectiveness in recovery of bacteria from crop surfaces: Rapid pathogen detection and molecular analyses were performed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactiop using LightCycler® 480 and RAZOR® EX, a scaled-down instrument that is undergoing evaluation and testing for future flight hardware. These methods were compared with conventional, culture-based methods for the recovery of S. Typhimurium colonies. A sterile wipe saturated with a citric acid-based, food-grade sanitizer was applied to two different surface materials used in VEGGIE flight hardware that had been contaminated with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa,. another known human pathogen. To sanitize surfaces, wipes were saturated with either the sanitizer or sterile deionized water and applied to each surface. Colony forming units of P. aeruginosa grown on tryptic soy agar plates were enumerated from surface samples after sanitization treatments. Depending on the VEGGIE hardware material, 2- to 4.5-log10 reductions in colony-forming units were observed after sanitization. The difference in recovery of S. Typhimurium between tape- and swab- based sampling techniques was insignificant. RAZOR® EX rapidly detected S. Typhimurium present in both raw culture and extracted DNA samples.

Parrish, Charles H. II↗

Hardness and Microstructure of Binary and Ternary Nitinol Compounds

The hardness and microstructure of twenty-six binary and ternary Nitinol (nickel titanium, nickel titanium hafnium, nickel titanium zirconium and nickel titanium tantalum) compounds were studied. A small (50g) ingot of each compound was produced by vacuum arc remelting. Each ingot was homogenized in vacuum for 48 hr followed by furnace cooling. Specimens from the ingots were then heat treated at 800, 900, 1000 or 1100 degree C for 2 hr followed by water quenching. The hardness and microstructure of each specimen was compared to the baseline material (55-Nitinol, 55 at.% nickel - 45 at.% titanium, after heat treatment at 900 degC). The results show that eleven of the studied compounds had higher hardness values than the baseline material. Moreover, twelve of the studied compounds had measured hardness values greater 600HV at heat treatments from 800 to 900 degree C.

intermetallics↗

Transforming Aeration Energy in Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) through Suboxic Nitrogen Removal (Final Report)

The objective of this project was to advance two key technological components—aeration control strategies and process design methodologies—to support the development and broader adoption of suboxic biological nitrogen removal (SBNR). The project focused on achieving the following three goals: • Enhance Model Predictive Control (MPC) Technology: Advance the DO/Nmaster MPC platform from its initial 2018 pilot deployment at the Chico Water Resource Recovery Facility in California to full-scale integration. This included partnering with a blower technology commercialization partner and incorporating machine learning (ML) capabilities to enable nationwide deployment. • Bridge Knowledge Gaps in SBNR Process Design: Address fundamental gaps in SBNR process understanding through controlled pilot-scale testing at a dedicated pilot facility. These efforts supported the development of robust kinetic models to inform reliable SBNR control, operational strategies, and design frameworks. • Demonstrate Full-Scale Implementation of Low DO/SBNR with ML: Transition low dissolved oxygen (DO)/SBNR coupled with ML from pilot-scale trials to full-scale demonstration in flow-through biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems, with the goal of enabling scalable, nationwide adoption in activated sludge treatment processes. The project included demonstration of SBNR at the pilot scale as performed by Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) and at the full-scale as performed by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts' (LACSD) Pomona Water Reclamation Plant (POWRP).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Preparation of illite coated geomaterial microfluidic surfaces: Effect of salinity and heat treatment

Unique characteristics of clay (e.g., high surface area, deficiency in positive charges) make any clay abundant shales a good source of adsorbed gas. However, the presence of clay in porous media can also affect shale rock's producibility. The clay-water interaction can cause significant swelling and fines migration in the formation and impair the overall hydrocarbon recovery from shale. Geomaterial micromodels, developed by functionalizing traditional glass or PDMS surfaces with geomaterials (e.g., calcite, Quartz, clay), can represent the physicochemical properties of the natural porous media and have been used during the last few years to understand and evaluate the solid-fluid physicochemical interactions. Here, this study focuses on developing a clay-coated geomaterial surface and investigates the effect of base fluid's salinity on clay adsorption to the glass surface. Glass capillary tubes and straight channel borosilicate glass micromodels are coated with Illite clay to represent the pore-scale clay chemistry of Caney Shale, a Mississippian unconventional play in Southern Oklahoma, USA. 10 wt% of Illite clay slurries made with brines of four different salinities are used to coat the glass-capillary tubes to understand the effect of salinity in clay adsorption on the glass surface and overall coating quality. To achieve a stable coating and evaluate the impact of heat treatment on coating's stability, straight channel glass flow cells coated with Illite clay are heat-treated at low (25 °C) and high temperature (125 °C), and the results are compared with an untreated coated surface. Flooding tests were carried out with brines of different salinities on the coated surface to evaluate the stability of the coating. The experimental results indicated a strong relationship between the brine's salinity and the adsorption of clay particles on the glass surface. An increase in brine concentration resulted in improved adsorption of clay particles on the glass surface. Experiments involving heat treating the glass surface following the coating demonstrated significant improvement in the stability of the coating.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Experimental and computational study of the microporous layer and hydrophobic treatment in the gas diffusion layer of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Enabling fuel cell operation at high current density is critical for developing competitive alternative power system to replace internal combustion engine. However, liquid water management continues to be a challenge for high humidity or high current density operation. Water condensation in the porous media hinders efficient oxygen transport to the catalyst layer, which in turns, reduces fuel cell performance. To improve water management capability, the gas diffusion layer is often impregnated with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and coated with a thin microporous layer, which have shown to improve fuel cell performance, especially under wet conditions. However, the fundamental mechanism that drives the performance enhancement is still not well understood. In this work, the effects of PTFE impregnation and MPL were studied using both experimental and computational techniques. Both limiting current and polarization tests under dry and wet operating condition are conducted to study the oxygen transport resistance and fuel cell performance. In addition, a 2-D, two-phase, multi-physics PEMFC model is developed to simulate performance and gain a fundamental understanding of local water saturation and oxygen concentration. The combined results show that 5 wt% PTFE impregnation with MPL significantly enhances liquid water management, which enables higher current density operation of a fuel cell.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Novel anaerobic selenium oxyanion reducers native to FGD wastewater for enhanced selenium removal

Biological treatment is a recognized approach for removing selenate and selenite oxyanions present in flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater. However, the knowledge of the specific microbial species or communities responsible for reducing water-soluble selenium oxyanions to insoluble elemental selenium remains limited. In addition, the selenium oxyanion reduction genes and pathways have yet to be understood in these wastewaters. This study characterizes selenium oxyanion-reducing bacteria (SeRB) native to FGD wastewater, and the resulting elemental selenium particles formed. By selecting native SeRB microbes in a defined media, a novel resolution of these organisms has been achieved. This research identifies previously unrecognized selenium oxyanion-reducing capabilities in Anaerosolibacter, alongside predominant SeRB from Mesobacillus and Tepidibacillus genera. This work encompasses both 16S and metagenomic techniques to recover novel metagenome-assembled genomes, distinct to this environment. The biogenic selenium produced by these organisms was predominantly of elemental selenium, either amorphous or with a hexagonal structure. This study identifies the SeRB present in FGD wastewater and characterizes their selenium products, offering crucial insights to enhance the efficiency of biological treatment strategies and the potential of selenium recovery from this industrial waste.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Groundwater-native Fe(II) oxidation prior to aeration with H 2 O 2 to enhance As(III) removal

Groundwater contaminated with arsenic (As) must be treated prior to drinking, as human exposure to As at toxic levels can cause various diseases including cancer. Conventional aeration-filtration applied to anaerobic arsenite (As(III)) contaminated groundwater can remove As(III) by co-oxidizing native iron (Fe(II)) and As(III) with oxygen (O 2 ). However, the As(III) removal efficiency of conventional aeration can be low, in part, because of incomplete As(III) oxidation to readily-sorbed arsenate (As(V)). In this work, we investigated a new approach to enhance As(III) co-removal with native Fe(II) by the anaerobic addition of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) prior to aeration. Experiments were performed to co-oxidize Fe(II) and As(III) with H 2 O 2 (anaerobically), O 2 (aerobically), and by sequentially adding of H 2 O 2 and O 2 . Aqueous As(III) and As(V) measurements after the reaction were coupled with solid-phase speciation by Fe and As K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). We found that complete anaerobic oxidation of 100 µM Fe(II) with 100 µM H 2 O 2 resulted in co-removal of 95% of 7 µM As(III) compared to 44% with 8.0-9.0 mg/L dissolved O 2 . Furthermore, we found that with 100 µM Fe(II), the initial Fe(II):H 2 O 2 ratio was a critical parameter to remove 7 µM As(III) to below the 10 µg/L (0.13 µM) WHO guideline, where ratios of 1:4 (mol:mol) Fe(II):H 2 O 2 led to As(III) removal matching that of 7 µM As(V). The improved As(III) removal with H 2 O 2 was found to occur partly because of the well-established enhanced efficiency of As(III) oxidation in Fe(II)+H 2 O 2 systems relatively to Fe(II)+O 2 systems. However, the XAS results unambiguously demonstrated that a large factor in the improved As(III) removal was also due to a systematic decrease in crystallinity, and thus increase in specific surface area, of the generated Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides from lepidocrocite in the Fe(II)+O 2 system to poorly-ordered Fe(III) precipitates in the Fe(II)+H 2 O 2 system. The combined roles of H 2 O 2 (enhanced As(III) oxidation and structural modification) can be easily overlooked when only aqueous species are measured, but this dual impact must be considered for accurate predictions of As removal in groundwater treatment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗