Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “LEADING ABSTRACT”

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.

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

At least 1,369 records · Page 76
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Hotspots of soil N 2 O emission enhanced through water absorption by plant residue

N 2 O is a highly potent greenhouse gas and arable soils represent its major anthropogenic source. Field-scale assessments and predictions of soil N 2 O emission remain uncertain and imprecise due to the episodic and microscale nature of microbial N 2 O production, most of which occurs within very small discrete soil volumes. Such hotspots of N 2 O production are often associated with decomposing plant residue. Here we quantify physical and hydrological soil characteristics that lead to strikingly accelerated N 2 O emissions in plant residue-induced hotspots. Results reveal a mechanism for microscale N 2 O emissions: water absorption by plant residue that creates unique micro-environmental conditions, markedly different from those of the bulk soil. Moisture levels within plant residue exceeded those of bulk soil by 4–10-fold and led to accelerated N 2 O production via microbial denitrification. The presence of large (Ø >35 μm) pores was a prerequisite for maximized hotspot N 2 O production and for subsequent diffusion to the atmosphere. Understanding and modelling hotspot microscale physical and hydrologic characteristics is a promising route to predict N 2 O emissions and thus to develop effective mitigation strategies and estimate global fluxes in a changing environment.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Interface Coating Design for Dynamic Voltage Stability of Solid‐State Batteries

Abstract Intrinsic or interface thermodynamic voltage windows of solid electrolytes are often narrower than the operational voltage range needed by a full battery, thus various interface decomposition reactions can happen in a practical solid‐state battery. Experimentally, it is found that a proper battery design utilizing the reactions can lead to a dynamic evolution from interface instability to stability, giving the so‐called dynamic voltage stability for advanced battery performance. Here, first the state‐of‐the‐art understanding is articulated about how the dynamic voltage stability should be interpreted in physical picture and treated in computation, emphasizing the potential importance of nonequilibrium reaction pathways. The constrained ensemble computational approach is further applied across most types of solid‐state electrolytes to systematically evaluate and compare their dynamic stability voltage windows in response to the mechanical constriction effect. High‐throughput calculations are used to search for coating materials for different interfaces between sulfide, halide, and oxide electrolytes and typical cathode materials with enhanced dynamic voltage stability. A comparison with experiment is given to highlight the value of these computational predictions.

Wang, Yichao↗
DOE OSTI2018

Tailored Organic Electrode Material Compatible with Sulfide Electrolyte for Stable All‐Solid‐State Sodium Batteries

Abstract All‐solid‐state sodium batteries (ASSSBs) with nonflammable electrolytes and ubiquitous sodium resource are a promising solution to the safety and cost concerns for lithium‐ion batteries. However, the intrinsic mismatch between low anodic decomposition potential of superionic sulfide electrolytes and high operating potentials of sodium‐ion cathodes leads to a volatile cathode–electrolyte interface and undesirable cell performance. Here we report a high‐capacity organic cathode, Na 4 C 6 O 6 , that is chemically and electrochemically compatible with sulfide electrolytes. A bulk‐type ASSSB shows high specific capacity (184 mAh g −1 ) and one of the highest specific energies (395 Wh kg −1 ) among intercalation compound‐based ASSSBs. The capacity retentions of 76 % after 100 cycles at 0.1 C and 70 % after 400 cycles at 0.2 C represent the record stability for ASSSBs. Additionally, Na 4 C 6 O 6 functions as a capable anode material, enabling a symmetric all‐organic ASSSB with Na 4 C 6 O 6 as both cathode and anode materials.

Chi, Xiaowei↗
DOE OSTI2019

Impact of Surface Composition of SrTiO 3 Catalysts for Oxidative Coupling of Methane

Abstract Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) to C 2 hydrocarbons (C 2 H 6 and C 2 H 4 ) have regained much attention due to the shale gas revolution. Perovskite catalysts have shown promising activity and selectivity to C 2 hydrocarbons. Here, we investigate the effect of surface reconstruction (leading to different surface compositions) of perovskites on the OCM by using SrTiO 3 (STO) as a model catalyst. Different surface densities of Sr (25–96 %) were attained via various treatments of STO. Low energy ion scattering (LEIS) and UV‐Raman results are in good agreement on the surface and subsurface composition of the reconstructed STO. From H 2 ‐TPR, the same H 2 consumption of STO samples allows relating their catalytic performances with surface acid‐base properties (quantified by NH 3 ‐/CO 2 ‐TPD). At 600–800 °C, the surface Sr enrichment was found to enhance CH 4 conversion, C 2 selectivity and the ratio C 2 H 4 /C 2 H 6 up to Sr/(Sr+Ti) of 0.66 and then levels off. Furthermore, the relative concentration of basic sites, base/(base+acid), is found as a better descriptor for STO catalytic performances. This work shows the clear correlation between surface reconstruction, relative basicity/acidity and OCM catalytic performance over perovskite catalysts. The trends here are similar to those for CH 4 combustion over the reconstructed STO in our recent work. Overall, we suggest that tuning surface reconstruction/composition of perovskites can be an effective approach to control CH 4 activation and conversions.

Bai, Lei↗
DOE OSTI2015

Thermal and electrochemical behavior of Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} (x=1, 2, 3) phases

Several compositions of the Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} (x=1, 2, 3) series were synthesized via solid-state reaction of the elements. The structural stability at various temperatures and the effect of Li:Cu ratio on the thermal conductivity and the electrochemical performance of Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}/Li half-cells during charge–discharge process were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements showed a sharp endothermic peak at 140 °C for Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} samples with x=1 and 2, which is ascribed to a structural phase transition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements on various Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} samples at temperatures below and above 140 °C indicated a structural phase transition from the room temperature low-symmetry structure to the high temperature cubic structure of Cu{sub 2}S. The thermal conductivity of Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} samples decreases with decreasing Cu:Li ratio and with increasing temperature. The thermal conductivity of Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} samples at room temperature decreases from 1.2 W/m K for Cu:Li=3:1 to 0.7 W/m K for Cu:Li=1:3. Cyclic voltammetry of Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}/Li half-cells showed that high discharge capacity (165 mA h g{sup −1}) and stable reversible charge–discharge process is observed for Cu:Li=2:2, whereas other Cu:Li ratios lead to low discharge capacity and poor reversibility. The electrochemical behavior of Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}/Li half-cells is rationalized by taking into account the competing reactions of Li{sup +} ions with CuS and Cu{sub 2}S during discharge. - Graphical abstract: Tuning Li content in Cu{sub 4−x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}/Li half-cells to maintain a Cu/Li ratio equal to unity affords maximum capacity and high stability of the charge–discharge process. - Highlights: • Cu:Li ratio strongly influenced crystal structure and properties of Cu{sub 4-x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}. • Compositions with x = 1 and 2 undergo structural transformation at above 140 °C. • Thermal conductivity of Cu{sub 4-x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2} phases increases with decreasing Cu:Li ratio. • Stability of Cu{sub 4-x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}/Li half-cells decreases with Cu:Li ratio. • Initial charge capacity of Cu{sub 4-x}Li{sub x}S{sub 2}/Li half-cells increases with Cu:Li ratio.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Hot deformation characterization of duplex low-density steel through 3D processing map development

The high temperature deformation behavior of duplex low-density Fe–18Mn–8Al–0.8C steel was investigated at temperatures in the range of 600–1000 °C. The primary constitutive analysis indicated that the Zener–Hollomon parameter, which represents the coupled effects of temperature and strain rate, significantly varies with the amount of deformation. Accordingly, the 3D processing maps were developed considering the effect of strain and were used to determine the safe and unsafe deformation conditions in association with the microstructural evolution. The deformation at efficiency domain I (900–1100 °C\10{sup −} {sup 2}–10{sup −} {sup 3} s{sup −} {sup 1}) was found to be safe at different strains due to the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization in austenite. The safe efficiency domain II (700–900 °C\1–10{sup −} {sup 1} s{sup −} {sup 1}), which appeared at logarithmic strain of 0.4, was characterized by deformation induced ferrite formation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the microband formation and crack initiation at ferrite\austenite interphases were the main causes of deformation instability at 600–800 °C\10{sup −} {sup 2}–10{sup −} {sup 3} s{sup −} {sup 1}. The degree of instability was found to decrease by increasing the strain due to the uniformity of microbanded structure obtained at higher strains. The shear band formation at 900–1100 °C\1–10{sup −} {sup 1} s{sup −} {sup 1} was verified by electron backscattered diffraction. The local dynamic recrystallization of austenite and the deformation induced ferrite formation were observed within shear-banded regions as the results of flow localization. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • The 3D processing map is developed for duplex low-density Fe–Mn–Al–C steel. • The efficiency domains shrink, expand or appear with increasing strain. • The occurrence of DRX and DIFF increases the power efficiency. • Crack initiation at α/γ interphase and shear banding lead to failure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets as robust polysulfides immobilizers for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Highlights: • Ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets have large surface area and fast charge transfer properties. • Ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets can greatly improve the electrochemical properties of S/C composites for Li-S batteries. • Superior electrochemical performance of S/C-SnS{sub 2}-10 composites can be ascribed to the optimized synergistic effects between SnS{sub 2} and porous carbon. - Abstract: Ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets modified sulfur/carbon (S/C-SnS{sub 2}) composites were synthesized through a facile method by mixing sublimed sulfur, Ketjen Black and ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets. The ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets can provide remarkable binding strength, large surface area and fast charge transfer, therefore leading to favorable chemical interaction with polysulfides in Li-S batteries. Accompanied with the synergistic effects between physical confinement of porous carbon and chemical interactions of SnS{sub 2}, S/C-SnS{sub 2} composites with different mass ratio of ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets and C show much improved electrochemical properties. Among them, S/C-SnS{sub 2} composite with 10 wt% of ultrathin SnS{sub 2} nanosheets and 75 wt% of sulfur maintains superior long term cycling capacities of 800 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.5 C after 300 cycles and 540 mAh g{sup −1} at 2 C after 700 cycles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Magnetic resonance in bilayers of ferrite and functionally graded piezoelectric

Highlights: • Ferromagnetic resonance in a ferrite-piezoelectric laminate is studied. • An electric field induced FMR line broadening results from bending the sample. • Ferrite layer between the two piezoelectric layers shows a large line broadening. - Abstract: The particular purpose of this paper is theoretical modeling of magnetoelectric interactions at the ferromagnetic resonance in a layered structure of a ferrite and a piezoelectric with through-thickness graded polarization. We show that using the functionally graded piezoelectric with through-thickness variation of polarization can lead to an electric field induced broadening of ferromagnetic resonance line. As an example, we consider the laminate based on the yttrium iron garnet layer which is placed between two lead zirconate titanate layers with different poling direction. The maximal ferromagnetic resonance line broadening of 9.3 Oe is obtained for the yttrium iron garnet to lead zirconate titanate layer thickness ratio of 1.7 at 9.3 GHz for E equal to 10 kV/cm.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Composting of the solid fraction of digestate derived from pig slurry: Biological processes and compost properties

Highlights: • Anaerobic digestion leads to the production of a biologically stable digestate. • Solid–liquid separation produces a solid fraction having high fertilizer value. • Composting process shows low biological activity due to high biological stability of digestate. • Solid digestate fraction can be composted in a short time or used directly as organic fertilizer. - Abstract: The aim of this paper was to assess the characteristics of the solid fractions (SF) obtained by mechanical separation of digestate, their compostability and compost quality. To do so, the SF of digestates obtained from anaerobic digestion of pig slurry, energy crops and agro-industrial residues were sampled in five plants located in Northern Italy. Results obtained indicated that anaerobic digestion by itself promoted the high biological stability of biomasses with a Potential Dynamic Respiration Index (PDRI) close to 1000 mgO{sub 2} kg V S{sup −1} h{sup −1}. Subsequent composting of digestates, with an added bulking agent, did not give remarkably different results, and led only to a slight modification of the characteristics of the initial non-composted mixtures; the composts obtained fully respected the legal limits for high quality compost. Chemical studies of organic matter composition of the biomasses by using CP MAS {sup 13}C NMR, indicated that the compost was composed of a high relative content of O-alkyl-C (71.47% of total C) (cellulose and hemicelluloses) and a low alkyl-C (12.42%) (i.e. volatile fatty acids, steroid-like molecules, aliphatic biopolymers and proteins)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Limited Impact of Thwaites Ice Shelf on Future Ice Loss From Antarctica

Abstract Thwaites Ice Shelf (TWIS), the floating extension of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, is changing rapidly and may completely disintegrate in the near future. Any buttressing that the ice shelf provides to the upstream grounded Thwaites glacier will then be lost. Previously, it has been argued that this could lead to onset of dynamical instability and the rapid demise of the entire glacier. Here we provide the first systematic quantitative assessment of how strongly the upstream ice is buttressed by TWIS and how its collapse affects future projections. By modeling the stresses acting along the current grounding line, we show that they deviate insignificantly from the stresses after ice shelf collapse. Using three ice‐flow models, we furthermore model the transient evolution of Thwaites Glacier and find that a complete disintegration of the ice shelf will not substantially impact future mass loss over the next 50 years.

Gudmundsson, G. H.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Internal Variability Increased Arctic Amplification During 1980–2022

Abstract Since 1980, the Arctic surface has warmed four times faster than the global mean. Enhanced Arctic warming relative to the global average warming is referred to as Arctic Amplification (AA). While AA is a robust feature in climate change simulations, models rarely reproduce the observed magnitude of AA, leading to concerns that models may not accurately capture the response of the Arctic to greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we use CMIP6 data to train a machine learning algorithm to quantify the influence of internal variability in surface air temperature trends over both the Arctic and global domains. Application of this machine learning algorithm to observations reveals that internal variability increases the Arctic warming but slows global warming in recent decades, inflating AA since 1980 by 38% relative to the externally forced AA. Accounting for the role of internal variability reconciles the discrepancy between simulated and observed AA.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Low-energy electronic structure in the unconventional charge-ordered state of ScV6Sn6

Abstract Kagome vanadates A V 3 Sb 5 display unusual low-temperature electronic properties including charge density waves (CDW), whose microscopic origin remains unsettled. Recently, CDW order has been discovered in a new material ScV 6 Sn 6 , providing an opportunity to explore whether the onset of CDW leads to unusual electronic properties. Here, we study this question using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The ARPES measurements show minimal changes to the electronic structure after the onset of CDW. However, STM quasiparticle interference (QPI) measurements show strong dispersing features related to the CDW ordering vectors. A plausible explanation is the presence of a strong momentum-dependent scattering potential peaked at the CDW wavevector, associated with the existence of competing CDW instabilities. Our STM results further indicate that the bands most affected by the CDW are near vHS, analogous to the case of A V 3 Sb 5 despite very different CDW wavevectors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

On the role of mode resonances in regulating zonal-flow-moderated plasma microturbulence

Abstract The onset of turbulent heat transport at a higher temperature gradient than the critical gradient of linear instability, known as the Dimits shift, is a recurring feature of nonlinear simulations for magnetically confined fusion plasmas. Resonance in the nonlinear coupling between the modes that dominate energy transfer can lead to suppression of turbulence and transport above the linear critical gradient. As an expression of this resonance, gyrokinetic simulations show a quasi-coherent interaction between streamers and sidebands coupled through the zonal flow within the Dimits regime. This mechanism is further confirmed by use of artificial complex frequencies which break the resonance. By incorporating corresponding saturation physics, the standard quasilinear model for rapid head flux prediction is improved, which can now predict reduced heat flux in the Dimits regime. In particular, the triplet correlation time, the lifetime of the nonlinear interaction, is shown to be well-approximated by combinations of linear eigenvalues, and yields good representations of the heat flux variation both in and above the Dimits regime. Thus, a reduced but predictive model for transport near the critical gradient of zonal-flow saturated turbulence now exists.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

The role of plasma instabilities in relativistic radiation-mediated shocks: stability analysis and particle-in-cell simulations

ABSTRACT Relativistic radiation-mediated shocks are likely formed in prodigious cosmic explosions. The structure and emission of such shocks are regulated by copious production of electron–positron pairs inside the shock-transition layer. It has been pointed out recently that substantial abundance of positrons inside the shock leads to a velocity separation of the different plasma constituents, which is expected to induce a rapid growth of plasma instabilities. In this paper, we study the hierarchy of plasma microinstabilities growing in an electron-ion plasma loaded with pairs and subject to a radiation force. Linear stability analysis indicates that such a system is unstable to the growth of various plasma modes which ultimately become dominated by a current filamentation instability driven by the relative drift between the ions and the pairs. These results are validated by particle-in-cell simulations that further probe the non-linear regime of the instabilities, and the pair-ion coupling in the microturbulent electromagnetic field. Based on this analysis, we derive a reduced-transport equation for the particles via pitch-angle scattering in the microturbulence and demonstrate that it can couple the different species and lead to non-adiabatic compression via a Joule-like heating. The heating of the pairs and, conceivably, the formation of non-thermal distributions, arising from the microturbulence, can affect the observed shock-breakout signal in ways unaccounted for by current single-fluid models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effective field theory analysis of the Coulomb breakup of the one-neutron halo nucleus $$^{19}$$C

Abstract We analyse the Coulomb breakup of $$^{19}$$ 19 C measured at 67 A MeV at RIKEN. We use the Coulomb-Corrected Eikonal (CCE) approximation to model the reaction and describe the one-neutron halo nucleus $$^{19}$$ 19 C within Halo Effective Field Theory (Halo EFT). At leading order we obtain a fair reproduction of the measured cross section as a function of energy and angle. The description is insensitive to the choice of optical potential, as long as it accurately represents the size of $${}^{18}$$ 18 C. It is also insensitive to the interior of the $${}^{19}$$ 19 C wave function. Comparison between theory and experiment thus enables us to infer asymptotic properties of the ground state of $$^{19}$$ 19 C: these data put constraints on the one-neutron separation energy of this nucleus and, for a given binding energy, can be used to extract an asymptotic normalisation coefficient (ANC). These results are confirmed by CCE calculations employing next-to-leading order Halo EFT descriptions of $${}^{19}$$ 19 C: at this order the results for the Coulomb breakup cross section are completely insensitive to the choice of the regulator. Accordingly, this reaction can be used to constrain the one-neutron separation energy and ANC of $${}^{19}$$ 19 C.

Physics↗