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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 1,423 records · Page 79
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Rapid water dynamics structures the OH-stretching spectra of solitary water in ionic liquids and dipolar solvents

In a recent study [J. Phys. Chem. B 126, 4584–4598 (2022)], we have used infrared spectroscopy to investigate the solvation and dynamics of solitary water in ionic liquids and dipolar solvents. Complex shapes observed for water OH-stretching bands, common to all high-polarity solvents, were assigned to water in several solvation states. Here, in the present study, classical molecular dynamics simulations of a single water molecule in four ionic liquids and three dipolar solvents were used to test and refine this interpretation. Consistent with past assignments, simulations show solitary water usually donates two hydrogen bonds to distinct solvent molecules. Such symmetrically solvated water produces the primary pair of peaks identified in the OH spectra of water in nearly all solvents. We had further proposed that additional features flanking this main peak are due to asymmetric solvation states, states in which only one OH group makes a hydrogen bond to solvent. Such states were found in significant concentrations in all of the systems simulated. Simulations of the OH stretching spectra using a semiclassical description and the vibrational map developed by Auer and Skinner [J. Chem. Phys. 128, 224511–224512 (2008)] provided semi-quantitative agreement with experiment. Analysis of species-specific spectra confirmed assignment of the additional features in the experimental spectra to asymmetrically solvated water. The simulations also showed that rapid water motions cause a marked motional narrowing compared with the inhomogeneous limit. This narrowing is largely responsible for making the additional features due to minority solvation states manifest in the spectra.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mass accommodation and gas–particle partitioning in secondary organic aerosols: dependence on diffusivity, volatility, particle-phase reactions, and penetration depth

Abstract. Mass accommodation is an essential process for gas–particle partitioning of organic compounds in secondary organic aerosols (SOA). The mass accommodation coefficient is commonly described as the probability of a gas molecule colliding with the surface to enter the particle phase. It is often applied, however, without specifying if and how deep a molecule has to penetrate beneath the surface to be regarded as being incorporated into the condensed phase (adsorption vs. absorption). While this aspect is usually not critical for liquid particles with rapid surface–bulk exchange, it can be important for viscous semi-solid or glassy solid particles to distinguish and resolve the kinetics of accommodation at the surface, transfer across the gas–particle interface, and further transport into the particle bulk. For this purpose, we introduce a novel parameter: an effective mass accommodation coefficient αeff that depends on penetration depth and is a function of surface accommodation coefficient, volatility, bulk diffusivity, and particle-phase reaction rate coefficient. Application of αeff in the traditional Fuchs–Sutugin approximation of mass-transport kinetics at the gas–particle interface yields SOA partitioning results that are consistent with a detailed kinetic multilayer model (kinetic multilayer model of gas–particle interactions in aerosols and clouds, KM-GAP; Shiraiwa et al., 2012) and two-film model solutions (Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry, MOSAIC; Zaveri et al., 2014) but deviate substantially from earlier modeling approaches not considering the influence of penetration depth and related parameters. For highly viscous or semi-solid particles, we show that the effective mass accommodation coefficient remains similar to the surface accommodation coefficient in the case of low-volatility compounds, whereas it can decrease by several orders of magnitude in the case of semi-volatile compounds. Such effects can explain apparent inconsistencies between earlier studies deriving mass accommodation coefficients from experimental data or from molecular dynamics simulations. Our findings challenge the approach of traditional SOA models using the Fuchs–Sutugin approximation of mass transfer kinetics with a fixed mass accommodation coefficient, regardless of particle phase state and penetration depth. The effective mass accommodation coefficient introduced in this study provides an efficient new way of accounting for the influence of volatility, diffusivity, and particle-phase reactions on SOA partitioning in process models as well as in regional and global air quality models. While kinetic limitations may not be critical for partitioning into liquid SOA particles in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the effects are likely important for amorphous semi-solid or glassy SOA in the free and upper troposphere (FT–UT) as well as in the PBL at low relative humidity and low temperature.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Flow-Driven Stretch Fluctuations Govern the Nonlinear Viscoelasticity of Elongating Associative Polymer Networks

We use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to verify recent tube-model predictions that associative polymer networks exhibit broad stretch fluctuations during elongational flow. Simulations further show that these fluctuating dynamics give rise to the rate-dependent extensional viscosity 𝜂 𝐸 measured in filament stretching experiments on H-bonding networks. Simulations model bivalent associative networks with a reactive bead-spring model for varying association strength and extensional strain rate. We observe that stretch fluctuations are driven by a new form of chain tumbling, where chains continually collapse and elongate as their associations break and reform within the advecting network. This produces a broad, nearly uniform distribution of chain stretch over a wide range of strain rates, manifesting as a rate-independent plateau in the extensional stress. Our results show that the nonlinear viscoelasticity of associative networks is dominated by large fluctuations in molecular response, which cannot be captured by current mean-field models.

biomimetic & bio-inspired materials↗
DOE OSTI2023

QuantumScents: Quantum-Mechanical Properties for 3.5k Olfactory Molecules

Quantitative structure–odor relationships are critically important for studies related to the function of olfaction. Current literature data sets contain expert-labeled molecules but lack feature data. This paper introduces QuantumScents, a quantum mechanics augmented derivative of the Leffingwell data set. QuantumScents contains 3.5k structurally and chemically diverse molecules ranging from 2 to 30 heavy atoms (CNOS) and their corresponding 3D coordinates, total PBE0 energy, molecular dipole moment, and per-atom Hirshfeld charges, dipoles, and ratios. The authors demonstrate that Hirshfeld charges and ratios contain sufficient information to perform molecular classification by training a Message Passing Neural Network with chemprop (Heid, E.; et al. ChemRxiv, 2023, DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-3zcfl) to predict scent labels. Finally, the QuantumScents data set is freely available on Zenodo along with the authors’ code, example models, and data set generation workflow (https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.8239853).

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

Vibrational Signatures of Electronic Properties in Renewable-Energy Catalysis

The objective of this research program is to discover and develop new approaches for ab initio computational simulations of molecular motion. Specifically, this program aims to decipher the connection between the underlying electronic structure and the accordant molecular vibrations in reactive ions and radicals for renewable-energy purposes. Recent experimental progress in ion sources and optical spectroscopies has unearthed considerable new inner-sphere detail for these complexes, but the connection between these spectral signatures and mechanistic information often remains elusive, to the continued frustration of experimentalists. For this purpose, new anharmonic vibrational frequency methods, along with a publicly deployed software package, will be developed. Working closely with committed experimental collaborators, this conceptual and computational framework will be used to explain the results of new spectroscopy experiments, focusing specifically on the inner-shell mechanisms of renewable-energy catalysis. The oxidation half of catalytic water-splitting chemistry will be a central focus, along with fundamental studies of the manner in which strong ions and radicals activate solvent as a chemical species. The resulting products of the research program will include openly available software and algorithms for the ab initio simulation of challenging vibrational spectra, as well as critical mechanistic insight into energy-focused catalytic processes that are opaque to other existing analytical techniques.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Atomic understanding of structural deformations upon ablation of graphene

We investigate the atomic rearrangement in graphene under femtosecond pulse illumination with reactive molecular dynamics simulations and compare with ultra-fast laser ablation experiments. To model the impact of the laser pulse irradiation, heat is locally applied to a selected area of the graphene layer and the resulting structural deformation is simulated as a function of time, providing a detailed understanding of the bond breaking process under laser illumination and subsequent re-equilibration afterAQ3 the pulse is turned off. Analysis of the atomic dynamics indicates that the types of defects formed depend on the pulse energy and exposure duration. By varying the exposed area, we determine that the shape of the ablated area is not only a function of the pulse energy, but also of the beam spot size and pulse repetition. Furthermore, we apply a machine learning approach to extrapolate our simulated data to experimental length scales and reproduce the trends in ablated area as a function of temperature. Furthermore, our study provides a first step towards understanding the design parameters for graphene nano-patterning.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Structure of maize BZR1-type β-amylase BAM8 provides new insights into its noncatalytic adaptation

Plant β-amylase (BAM) proteins play an essential role in growth, development, stress response, and hormone regulation. Despite their typical (β/α) 8 barrel structure as active catalysts in starch breakdown, catalytically inactive BAMs are implicated in diverse yet elusive functions in plants. Further, the noncatalytic BAM7/8 contain N-terminal BZR1 domains and were shown to be involved in the regulation of brassinosteroid signaling and possibly serve as sensors of yet an uncharacterized metabolic signal. While the structures of several catalytically active BAMs have been reported, structural characterization of the catalytically inactive BZR1-type BAMs remain unknown. Here, we determine the crystal structure of β-amylase domain of Zea mays BAM8/BES1/BZR1-5 and provide comprehensive insights into its noncatalytic adaptation. Using structural-guided comparison combined with biochemical analysis and molecular dynamics simulations, we revealed conformational changes in multiple distinct highly conserved regions resulting in rearrangement of the binding pocket. Altogether, this study adds a new layer of understanding to starch breakdown mechanism and elucidates the acquired adjustments of noncatalytic BZR1-type BAMs as putative regulatory domains and/or metabolic sensors in plants.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electrostatic Potential of Functional Cations as a Predictor of Hydroxide Diffusion Pathways in Nanoconfined Environments of Anion Exchange Membranes

Nanoconfined anion exchange membranes (AEMs) play a vital role in emerging electrochemical technologies. The ability to control dominant hydroxide diffusion pathways is an important goal in the design of nanoconfined AEMs. Such control can shorten hydroxide transport pathways between electrodes, reduce transport resistance, and enhance device performance. In this work, we propose an electrostatic potential (ESP) approach to explore the effect of the polymer electrolyte cation spacing on hydroxide diffusion pathways from a molecular perspective. By exploring cation ESP energy surfaces and validating outcomes through prior ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of nanoconfined AEMs, we find that we can achieve control over preferred hydroxide diffusion pathways by adjusting the cation spacing. The results presented in this work provide a unique and straightforward approach to predict preferential hydroxide diffusion pathways, enabling efficient design of highly conductive nanoconfined AEM materials for electrochemical technologies.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Unexpected Observation of Disorder and Multiple Phase-Transition Pathways in Shock-Compressed Zr

The response of materials under dynamic compression involves a complex interplay of various deformation mechanisms aimed at relieving shear stresses, yielding a remarkable diversity in material behavior. Here, in this Letter, we utilize femtosecond x-ray diffraction coupled with nanosecond laser compression to reveal an intricate competition between multiple shear-relieving mechanisms within an elemental metal. Our observations in shocked-compressed single-crystal Zr indicate a disorder-mediated shear relaxation at lower pressures. Above the phase-transition pressure, we observe the increasing contribution of structural phase transition in relieving shear stress. We detect not one but three concurrent pathways during the transition from the hcp to a hex-3 structure. These complex dynamics are partially corroborated through multimillion-atom molecular dynamics simulations employing a machine-learned interatomic potential. Our observation of multiple concurrent pathways and disorder during shock compression underscore the far greater intricacies in the dynamic response of metals than previously assumed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Deformation behavior of crystalline/amorphous Al-Si nanocomposites with nanolaminate or nanofibrous microstructures

Deformation mechanisms in sputter-deposited crystalline Al/amorphous Si nanocomposites with nanolaminate or nanofibrous morphology are characterized by nanoindentation, micropillar compression testing and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanofibrous composite having crystalline Al nanofibers with ~40–50 nm in length and 15–20 nm in diameter embedded in amorphous Si exhibits strain hardening to a maximum flow stress of 2.9 GPa and no shear band (SB) formation in compression up to plastic strain exceeding 24%. On the other hand, nanolaminate composite that is composed of 80 nm crystalline Al layers and 20 nm amorphous Si layers exhibits catastrophic SBs starting at plastic strains in the range of 5–10%. Cross-sectional TEM of the deformed samples reveals a high density of stacking faults and twin boundaries in Al nanofibers and no microshear bands in the nanofibrous composite, suggesting plastic deformation in amorphous Si phase and crystalline Al nanofibers. Further, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the plastic deformation in amorphous Si phase in the cosputtered films could be favored by the decrease in flow strength of amorphous Si with increasing Al solute concentration trapped in Si.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evidence for nitrogen binding to surface defects for topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3

Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy and theoretical simulations we have studied the effects of nitrogen gas exposure on the electronic density of states of Bi 2 Se 3 , a well-studied topological insulator. In carefully controlled measurements, Bi 2 Se 3 crystals were initially cleaved in a helium gas environment and then exposed to a 22 SCFH flow of ultra-high purity N 2 gas. We observe a resulting change in the spectral curves, with the exposure effect saturating after approximately 50 min, ultimately bringing the Dirac point about 50 meV closer to the Fermi level. Furthermore, these results are compared to density functional theory calculations, which support a picture of N 2 molecules physisorbing near Se vacancies. Furthermore, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations aided by a Blue Moon ensemble method reveal the dissociative adsorption of N 2 molecules which then bind strongly to Se vacancies at the surface. In this scenario, the binding of the N atom to a Se vacancy site removes the surface defect state created by the vacancy and changes the position of the Fermi energy with respect to the Dirac point.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

How Distinct Structural Flexibility within SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets

The emergence and rapid worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has prompted concerted efforts to find successful treatments. The causative virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), uses its spike (S) protein to gain entry into host cells. Therefore, the S protein presents a viable target to develop a directed therapy. Here, we deployed an integrated artificial intelligence with all-atom molecular dynamics simulation approach to provide new details of the S protein structure. Based on a comprehensive structural analysis of S proteins from SARS-CoV-2 and previous human coronaviruses, we found that the protomer state of S proteins is structurally flexible. Without the presence of a stabilizing beta sheet from another protomer chain, two regions in the S2 domain and the hinge connecting the S1 and S2 subunits lose their secondary structures. Interestingly, the region in the S2 domain was previously identified as an immunodominant site in the SARS-CoV-1 S protein. We anticipate that the molecular details elucidated here will assist in effective therapeutic development for COVID-19.

Chen, Serena↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Role of Asparagine as a Gatekeeper Residue in the Selective Binding of Rare Earth Elements by Lanthanide‐Binding Peptides

Abstract Lanthanide‐binding tag (LBT) peptides selectively complex lanthanide cations (Ln 3+ ) in their binding pockets and are promising for lanthanide separation. However, designing LBTs that selectively target specific Ln 3+ cations remains a challenge due to limited molecular‐level understanding and control of interactions within the lanthanide‐binding pocket. In this study, we reveal that the N5 asparagine residue acts as a gatekeeper in the binding pocket, resulting in a 100‐fold selectivity for smaller Lu 3+ over larger La 3+ cations. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations show that the N5 residue weakly binds to the larger La 3+ cation, permitting H 2 O molecules inside the pocket. For the smaller Lu 3+ cations, the N5 residue forms an inter‐arm hydrogen bond with the E14 glutamic acid residue, locking the Lu 3+ cation in the pocket and preventing H 2 O infiltration. Mutating the N5 asparagine to a D5 aspartic acid prevents such a hydrogen bond, eliminating the gatekeeping mechanism and precipitously reducing selectivity. The resulting binding affinity to Ln 3+ cations is non‐monotonic but generally increases with cation size. These results suggest a molecular design paradigm: the reduced affinity for larger lanthanides is due to open pocket conformations, while the selectivity of smaller Ln 3+ cations over larger ones is due to the gatekeeping hydrogen bond.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2023

Diffusion in intact secondary cell wall models of plants at different equilibrium moisture content

Secondary plant cell walls are composed of carbohydrate and lignin polymers, and collectively represent a significant renewable resource. Leveraging these resources depends in part on a mechanistic understanding for diffusive processes within plant cell walls. Common wood protection treatments and biomass conversion processes to create biorefinery feedstocks feature ion or solvent diffusion within the cell wall. X-ray fluorescence microscopy experiments have determined that ionic diffusion rates are dependent on cell wall hydration as well as the ionic species through non-linear relationships. In this work, we use classical molecular dynamics simulations to map the diffusion behavior of different plant cell wall components (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), ions (Na + , K + , Cu2 + , Cl - ) and water within a model for an intact plant cell wall at various hydration states (3-30 wt% water). From these simulations, we analyze the contacts between different plant cell wall components with each other and their interaction with the ions. Generally, diffusion increases with increasing hydration, with lignin and hemicellulose components increasing diffusion by an order of magnitude over the tested hydration range. Ion diffusion depends on charge. Positively charged cations preferentially interact with hemicellulose components, which include negatively charged carboxylates. As a result, positive ions diffuse more slowly than negatively charged ions. Measured diffusion coefficients are largely observed to best fit piecewise linear trends, with an inflection point between 10 and 15% hydration. These observations shed light onto the molecular mechanisms for diffusive processes within secondary plant cell walls at atomic resolution.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Computational insights into the interaction of water with the UiO-66 metal–organic framework and its functionalized derivatives

The UiO-66 metal–organic framework (MOF) has been identified as a promising hydrophilic material for water harvesting. Recent studies show that its water uptake ability at low relative humidity (RH) can be improved by incorporating hydrophilic functional groups into the framework. In this work, we provide computational insights into the adsorption of water in UiO-66 and its functionalized derivatives to reveal the role played by different adsorption sites and functional groups in the adsorption mechanism. We started by developing molecular models for UiO-66, UiO-66-NH 2 , UiO-66-OH, and UiO-66-(OH) 2 compatible with the MB-pol data-driven many-body potential of water. We then benchmarked these models against ab initio data. Here we used these models to perform molecular dynamics simulations and calculate radial distribution functions, IR spectra, and two-dimensional density distribution maps for water in the MOFs. These results consistently show that the μ 3 -OH sites are the preferential interaction sites for water in UiO-66 and all its variants, and the formation of localised water clusters inside the octahedral pores is responsible for the abrupt step in the experimental adsorption isotherms. Furthermore, the presence of functional groups in the framework allows water to cluster in the octahedral pores at lower RH, thus making the MOF a more efficient water harvester. Overall, this study provides molecular-level insights into the pore filling process of UiO-66 and its functionalized derivatives, which are needed for the design of efficient water harvesting materials based on MOFs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Role of Local Structure in the Enhanced Dynamics of Deformed Glasses

External stress can accelerate molecular mobility of amorphous solids by several orders of magnitude. The changes in mobility are commonly interpreted through the Eyring model, which invokes an empirical activation volume. Here, we analyze constant-stress molecular dynamics simulations and propose a structure-dependent Eyring model, connecting activation volume to a machine-learned field, softness. We show that stress has a heterogeneous effect on the mobility that depends on local structure through softness. The barrier impeding relaxation reduces more for well-packed particles, which explains the narrower distribution of relaxation time observed under stress.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

PTM‐Psi : A python package to facilitate the computational investigation of p ost‐ t ranslational m odification on p rotein s tructures and their i mpacts on dynamics and functions

Abstract Post‐translational modification (PTM) of a protein occurs after it has been synthesized from its genetic template, and involves chemical modifications of the protein's specific amino acid residues. Despite of the central role played by PTM in regulating molecular interactions, particularly those driven by reversible redox reactions, it remains challenging to interpret PTMs in terms of protein dynamics and function because there are numerous combinatorially enormous means for modifying amino acids in response to changes in the protein environment. In this study, we provide a workflow that allows users to interpret how perturbations caused by PTMs affect a protein's properties, dynamics, and interactions with its binding partners based on inferred or experimentally determined protein structure. This Python‐based workflow, called PTM‐Psi , integrates several established open‐source software packages, thereby enabling the user to infer protein structure from sequence, develop force fields for non‐standard amino acids using quantum mechanics, calculate free energy perturbations through molecular dynamics simulations, and score the bound complexes via docking algorithms. Using the S ‐nitrosylation of several cysteines on the GAP2 protein as an example, we demonstrated the utility of PTM‐Psi for interpreting sequence–structure–function relationships derived from thiol redox proteomics data. We demonstrate that the S ‐nitrosylated cysteine that is exposed to the solvent indirectly affects the catalytic reaction of another buried cysteine over a distance in GAP2 protein through the movement of the two ligands. Our workflow tracks the PTMs on residues that are responsive to changes in the redox environment and lays the foundation for the automation of molecular and systems biology modeling.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗