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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Mass transport limitations in polymer electrolyte water electrolyzers using spatially-resolved current measurement

Here this work utilizes spatially-resolved current measurements to provide insight into mass transport limitations in electrolyzers that are not observable from traditional polarization measurement. In this study, two types of flow-fields (parallel and triple-serpentine) and two types of diffusion media (patterned porous thin titanium foil LGDLs and Ir-coated titanium felt PTLs) were examined. A non-uniform current distribution dominated by mass transport limitations was observed to be instigated by the restriction of liquid water transport to catalyst sites. Additionally, conditions are revealed which yield similar polarization performance but dissimilar current distributions. In such cases, the transport limitations for different architectures and porous media affect polarization in different regions of the active area. Furthermore, the triple-serpentine flow-field used in this study performs better than the parallel flow-field under mass transport limited operating conditions. This indicates that the parallel flow-field used in this study is more susceptible to starvation than the triple-serpentine flow-field for the electrolyzer studied.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Solid solutions limited by grain-boundary solute clustering in ultrafine-grained alloys

Immiscible Ag-Cu alloys exhibit complex behavior due to varying Cu solid solubilities reported under equilibrium and metastable conditions. In ultrafine-grained alloys, these limits are further complicated by a high fraction of grain boundaries, where solute atoms tend to segregate and, in some cases, form clusters. Here, this study investigates the influence of Cu solute segregation and clustering on solid-solution limits in ultrafine-grained Ag-Cu alloys synthesized by magnetron sputtering with varying Cu content. X-ray diffraction peak shifts reveal a solid-solution concentration plateau for Cu contents from 4.9 to 11.7 at %, in contrast to the peak shifts predicted by density-functional theory for Ag-Cu alloys. Scanning transmission electron microscopy further reveals limited solid solubility and the formation of numerous Cu-rich clusters at grain boundaries. Atomistic simulations demonstrate that such limited solubility does not arise from grain boundary segregation alone, but only when strong solute-solute interactions promote the formation of grain-boundary Cu solute clusters.

Density-functional theory↗
DOE OSTI2020

Understanding and Controlling the Performance-Limiting Steps of Catalyst-Modified Semiconductors

Understanding and controlling factors that restrict the rates of fuel-forming reactions are essential to designing effective catalyst-modified semiconductors for applications in solar-to-fuel technologies. Herein, we describe GaAs semiconductors featuring a polymeric coating that contains cobaloxime-type catalysts for photoelectrochemically powering hydrogen production. The activities of these electrodes (limiting current densities >20 mA cm –2 under 1-sun illumination) enable identification of fundamental performance-limiting bottlenecks encountered at relatively high rates of fuel formation. Experiments conducted under varying bias potential, pH, illumination intensity, and scan rate reveal two distinct mechanisms of photoelectrochemical hydrogen production. At relatively low polarization and pH, the limiting photoactivity is independent of illumination conditions and is attributed to a mechanism involving reduction of substrate protons. At relatively high polarization or pH, the limiting photoactivity shows a linear response to increasing photon flux and is attributed to a mechanism involving reduction of substrate water. Furthermore, this work illustrates the complex interplay between transport of photons, electrons, and chemical substrates in photoelectrosynthetic reactions and highlights diagnostic tools for better understanding these processes.

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

Plasma-Catalytic Ammonia Synthesis beyond the Equilibrium Limit

In this work, we explore the consequences of nonthermal plasma-activation on product yields in catalytic ammonia synthesis, a reaction that is equilibrium-limited at elevated temperatures. We employ a minimal microkinetic model that incorporates the influence of plasma-activation on N 2 dissociation rates to predict NH 3 yields into and across the equilibrium-limited regime. NH 3 yields are predicted to exceed bulk thermodynamic equilibrium limits on materials that are thermal-rate-limited by N 2 dissociation. In all cases, yields revert to bulk equilibrium at temperatures at which thermal reaction rates exceed plasma-activated ones. Beyond-equilibrium NH 3 yields are observed in a packed bed dielectric barrier discharge reactor and exhibit sensitivity to catalytic material choice in a way consistent with model predictions. The approach and results highlight the opportunity to exploit synergies between nonthermal plasmas and catalysts to affect transformations at conditions inaccessible through thermal routes.

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

Revealing the Phonon Bottleneck Limit in Negatively Charged CdS Quantum Dots

The capture of photoexcited hot electrons in semiconductors before they lose their excess energy to cooling is a long-standing goal in photon energy conversion. Semiconductor nanocrystals have large electron energy spacings that are expected to slow down electron relaxation by phonon emission, but hot electrons in photoexcited nanocrystals, nevertheless, cool rapidly by energy transfer to holes. This makes the intrinsic phonon-bottleneck-limited hot electron lifetime in nanocrystals elusive. For this work, we used a combination of theory and experiments to probe the hot-electron dynamics of negatively charged cadmium sulfide (CdS) colloidal quantum dots (QDs) in the absence of holes. Experiments found that these hot electrons cooled on a 100 ps time scale. Theoretical simulations predicted that pure phonon-bottleneck-limited hot electron cooling occurs on a similar time scale. This similarity suggests that the experimental measurements reflect the upper limit on the hot-electron lifetimes in these CdS QDs and the lower limit on the rates of processes that can harvest those hot electrons.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

A ModEx Framework for Watershed Subsurface Investigation With Limited Geophysical Data Using Machine Learning and Hydrologic Modeling

Abstract Subsurface heterogeneity influences watershed hydrology strongly but remains difficult to characterize at catchment scales with sparse and costly field data. Geophysical surveys such as electromagnetic induction (EMI) provide local spatial subsurface images yet scaling them to watershed scales and converting EMI‐derived resistivity into hydraulic properties remains a challenge. We present a Model–Experiment (ModEx) framework that integrates limited EMI data with machine learning (ML) and hydrologic modeling to improve process representation and guide field investigations. Sparse EMI surveys were scaled to the catchment scale using a Random Forest model, and the resulting resistivity fields were combined with nearby borehole constraints to parameterize a hydrologic model. The EMI‐informed hydrological simulations improved predictions of streamflow sustained by subsurface flow and shallow saturation patterns. By combining EMI data and ML with hydrologic modeling, the ModEx framework guides future subsurface surveys, providing a transferable and efficient strategy for data–model integration across diverse watersheds. Plain Language Summary Mapping the underground network of soil and rock that controls water is essential for predicting floods and droughts, but seeing underground is difficult and expensive. We cannot drill everywhere, so scientists use geophysical tools to scan broad areas. There are two key challenges: these geophysical scans are often sparse across the whole watershed, and the geophysical data is hard to translate into water‐related properties. We used artificial intelligence to solve these problems. We taught a computer to find patterns linking the limited geophysical data to the land surface properties. This allowed it to fill in the gaps and create a complete, useful subsurface map for the entire watershed. This new map improves hydrologic simulations, leading to more accurate predictions of water movement in the watershed. It also helps scientists build better models with less data and generates a priority map showing where to measure next, making future investigations more efficient. Key Points Limited EMI scaled with ML improves catchment‐scale subsurface parameterization for hydrologic models The framework integrates hydrologic modeling with limited geophysical data to support subsurface investigation design ModEx framework offers a transferable data–model integration strategy that quantifies and reduces uncertainty guiding watershed studies

Chen, Hang↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ultimate precision limit of noise sensing and dark matter search

Abstract The nature of dark matter is unknown and calls for a systematical search. For axion dark matter, such a search relies on finding feeble random noise arising from the weak coupling between dark matter and microwave haloscopes. We model such process as a quantum channel and derive the fundamental precision limit of noise sensing. An entanglement-assisted strategy based on two-mode squeezed vacuum is thereby demonstrated optimal, while the optimality of a single-mode squeezed vacuum is found limited to the lossless case. We propose a “nulling” measurement (squeezing and photon counting) to achieve the optimal performances. In terms of the scan rate, even with 20-decibel of strength, single-mode squeezing still underperforms the vacuum limit which is achieved by photon counting on vacuum input; while the two-mode squeezed vacuum provides large and close-to-optimum advantage over the vacuum limit, thus more exotic quantum resources are no longer required. Our results highlight the necessity of entanglement assistance and microwave photon counting in dark matter search.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Intrinsic doping limitations in inorganic lead halide perovskites

Inorganic halide perovskites (HP's) of the CsPbX 3 (X = I, Br, Cl) type have reached prominence in photovoltaic solar cell efficiencies, leading to the expectation that they are a new class of semiconductors relative to the traditional ones. Peculiarly, they have shown an asymmetry in their ability to be doped by holes vs. electrons. Indeed, both structural defect-induced doping as well as extrinsic impurity-induced doping strangely often result in HP's in a unipolar doping (dominantly p-type) with low free carriers’ concentration. This raises the question whether such doping limitations presents just a temporary setback due to insufficient optimization of the doping process, or perhaps this represents an intrinsic, physically-mandated bottleneck. Here we study three fundamental Design Principles (DP's) for ideal doping, applying them via density functional doping theory to these HP's, thus identifying the violated DP that explains the doping limitations and asymmetry in these HP's. Here, the target DP are: (i) requires that the thermodynamic transition level between different charge states induced by the dopants must ideally be energetically shallow both for donors (n-type) or acceptors (p-type); DP-(ii) requires that the ‘Fermi level pinning energies’ for electrons E (n) pin and holes E (p) pin (being the limiting value of the Fermi level before a structural defect that compensate the doping forms spontaneously) should ideally be located inside the conduction band for n-type doping and inside the valence band for p-type doping. DP-(iii) requires that the doping-induced shift in equilibrium Fermi energy ΔE (n) F towards the conduction band for n-type doping (shift of ΔE (p) F towards the valence band, for p-type doping) to be sufficiently large. We find that, even though in HP's based on Br and Cl there are numerous shallow level dopants that satisfy DP-(i), in contrast DP-(ii) is satisfied only for holes and DP-(iii) fails for both holes and electrons, being the ultimate bottleneck for the n-type doping in Iodide HP's. This suggests an intrinsic mechanism for doping limitations in this class of semiconductors in terms of recognized physical mechanisms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Bond clusters control rupture force limit in shear loaded histidine-Ni 2+ metal-coordinated proteins

Dynamic noncovalent interactions are pivotal to the structure and function of biological proteins and have been used in bioinspired materials for similar roles. Metal-coordination bonds, in particular, are especially tunable and enable control over static and dynamic properties when incorporated into synthetic materials. Despite growing efforts to engineer metal-coordination bonds to produce strong, tough, and self-healing materials, the systematic characterization of the exact contribution of these bonds towards mechanical strength and the effect of geometric arrangements is missing, limiting the full design potential of these bonds. In this work, we engineer the cooperative rupture of metal-coordination bonds to increase the rupture strength of metal-coordinated peptide dimers. Utilizing all-atom steered molecular dynamics simulations on idealized bidentate histidine-Ni 2+ coordinated peptides, we show that histidine-Ni 2+ bonds can rupture cooperatively in groups of two to three bonds. We find that there is a strength limit, where adding additional coordination bonds does not contribute to the additional increase in the protein rupture strength, likely due to the highly heterogeneous rupture behavior exhibited by the coordination bonds. Further, we show that this coordination bond limit is also found natural metal-coordinated biological proteins. Using these insights, we quantitatively suggest how other proteins can be rationally designed with dynamic noncovalent interactions to exhibit cooperative bond breaking behavior. Altogether, this work provides a quantitative analysis of the cooperativity and intrinsic strength limit for metal-coordination bonds with the aim of advancing clear guiding molecular principles for the mechanical design of metal-coordinated materials.

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

Understanding the limits of Li-NMC811 half-cells

As we push the boundaries of state-of-the-art lithium-ion intercalation materials, such as nickel-rich chemistries, the ability to isolate and understand specific degradation and performance limitations is becoming increasingly important. Half-cells, wherein lithium metal is employed as a dual counter and reference electrode, are commonly used in industry and academia for this purpose. However, the high reactivity of lithium metal drives premature electrolyte degradation and limits cell lifetime, bringing into question the reliability and validity of this cell configuration. Here we explore the limitations of half-cell studies of LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811) electrodes with commercially relevant loading. We identify the failure mechanism of this cell configuration through a combination of electrochemical, chemical, and spectroscopic techniques and show that the Li has a direct detrimental impact on the NMC811 chemistry. Our measurements show that vinylene carbonate is critical for these half-cell studies and underpins the cycle limits. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) as an alternative counter electrode for understanding the performance of NMC positive electrode materials, due to its high coulombic efficiency and low reactivity with the organic carbonates routinely employed in lithium-ion battery cell chemistries. These data confirm that NMC811 electrodes can tolerate high voltages (stressed) conditions and that cell failure is mainly a result of crossover effects.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Theoretical upper limits of the thermal conductivity of Si3N4

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) is a promising substrate for high-power electronics due to its superior mechanical properties and potential outstanding thermal conductivity (κ). As experiments keep pushing the upper limit of κ of Si3N4, it is believed that it can reach 450 W/mK, similar to SiC, based on classical models and molecular dynamics simulations. In this work, we reveal from first principles that the theoretical κ upper limits of β-Si3N4 are only 169 and 57 W/mK along the c and a axes at room temperature, respectively. Those of α-Si3N4 are about 116 and 87 W/mK, respectively. The predicted temperature-dependent κ matches well with the highest available experimental data, which supports the accuracy of our calculations, and suggests that the κ upper limit of Si3N4 has already been reached in the experiment. Compared to other promising semiconductors (e.g., SiC, AlN, and GaN), Si3N4 has a much lower κ than expected even though the chemical bonding and mechanical strengths are close or even stronger. We find the underlying reason is that Si3N4 has much lower phonon lifetimes and mean free paths (<0.5 μm) due to the larger three-phonon scattering phase space and stronger anharmonicity. Interestingly, we find that the larger unit cell (with more basis atoms) that leads to a smaller fraction of acoustic phonons is not the reason for lower κ. Grain size-dependent κ indicates that the grain boundary scattering plays a negligible role in most experimental samples. This work clarifies the theoretical κ upper limits of Si3N4 and can guide experimental research.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Overcoming the doping limit in GaAs by ion implantation and pulsed laser melting

Most semiconductors exhibit a saturation of free carriers when heavily doped with extrinsic dopants. This carrier saturation or “doping limit” is known to be related to the formation of native compensating defects, which, in turn, depends on the energy positions of their conduction band minimum and valence band maximum. Here, we carried out a systematic study on the n-type doping limit of GaAs via ion implantation and showed that this doping limitation can be alleviated by the transient process of pulsed laser melting (PLM). For n-type doping, both group VI (S) and amphoteric group IV (Si and Ge) dopants were implanted in GaAs. For comparison, p-type doping was also studied using Zn as the acceptor. Implanted dopants were activated by the PLM method, and the results are compared to rapid thermal annealing (RTA). Our results reveal that for all n-type dopants, while implantation followed by the RTA results in a similar saturation electron concentration of 2–3 × 10 18 cm –3 , the transient PLM process is capable of trapping high concentration of dopants in the substitutional site, giving rise to a carrier concentration of >10 19 cm –3 , exceeding the doping limit of GaAs. However, due to scatterings from point defects generated during PLM, the mobility of n-type GaAs after PLM is low (~80–260 cm 2 /V s). Subsequent RTA after PLM (PLM + RTA) is able to remove these point defects and recover the mobility to ~1000–2000 cm2/V s. The carrier concentrations of these PLM + RTA samples are reduced but are still a factor of 3 higher than RTA only GaAs. This can be understood as the dopants are already incorporated in the substitutional site after PLM; they are less likely to be “deactivated” by subsequent RTA. This work is significant to the understanding of doping mechanisms in semiconductors and provides a means for device applications, which require materials with ultra-high doping.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nutrient and moisture limitations reveal keystone metabolites linking rhizosphere metabolomes and microbiomes

Plants release a wealth of metabolites into the rhizosphere that can shape the composition and activity of microbial communities in response to environmental stress. The connection between rhizodeposition and rhizosphere microbiome succession has been suggested, particularly under environmental stress conditions, yet definitive evidence is scarce. In this study, we investigated the relationship between rhizosphere chemistry, microbiome dynamics, and abiotic stress in the bioenergy crop switchgrass grown in a marginal soil under nutrient-limited, moisture-limited, and nitrogen (N)-replete, phosphorus (P)-replete, and NP-replete conditions. We combined 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics to link rhizosphere microbial communities and metabolites. We identified significant changes in rhizosphere metabolite profiles in response to abiotic stress and linked them to changes in microbial communities using network analysis. N-limitation amplified the abundance of aromatic acids, pentoses, and their derivatives in the rhizosphere, and their enhanced availability was linked to the abundance of bacterial lineages from Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, and Alphaproteobacteria. Conversely, N-amended conditions increased the availability of N-rich rhizosphere compounds, which coincided with proliferation of Actinobacteria. Treatments with contrasting N availability differed greatly in the abundance of potential keystone metabolites; serotonin and ectoine were particularly abundant in N-replete soils, while chlorogenic, cinnamic, and glucuronic acids were enriched in N-limited soils. Serotonin, the keystone metabolite we identified with the largest number of links to microbial taxa, significantly affected root architecture and growth of rhizosphere microorganisms, highlighting its potential to shape microbial community and mediate rhizosphere plant–microbe interactions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structured large-pore foams improve thermal performance of LiMIT-style liquid lithium PFC

As magnetically confined fusion devices improve, the conditions at the walls become increasingly intense. Plasma facing components (PFCs) must withstand these extreme heat and particle loads without damage or degradation. Liquid lithium PFCs are known to be quite resilient, and the presence of lithium also serves to improve plasma properties. The liquid metal infused trench (LiMIT) concept is an open surface liquid lithium PFC design that has been tested extensively at the University of Illinois and in fusion devices around the world. LiMIT utilizes thermoelectric magnetohydrodynamics (TEMHD) to passively drive liquid lithium flow. This work demonstrates an extension of the LiMIT trench geometry to three dimensions. Additively manufactured large pore metallic foams maintain TEMHD drive while drastically improving heat flux handling and resistance to lithium dryout, a phenomenon where locally high TEMHD forces depresses the lithium level and exposes underlying solid structure. COMSOL multiphysics modeling of the system yields insight into the forces at play in dryout development, and shows the 3D structures can eliminate dryout. Here, low heat proof-of-concept experimental testing of the system matches computational results, and high heat flux electron beam tests more than double the proven operational range of a LiMIT-style PFC, to 6.8 MW m –2 , with no indications of dryout or impending damage.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Modelling the limiter ramp-up of WEST for addressing the future challenges of ITER

This paper presents a joint experimental and numerical investigation into the physics of long limited plasma ramp-up in tokamaks with tungsten (W) first walls, a critical phase for ITER operation. The comparison between the average plasma quantities simulated using the SolEdge-HDG code and the measurements taken during three successive WEST discharges after boronisation shows how challenging it is to predict this phase. While simulations reproduce the general trends at the midplane, with reasonable match in density profiles, they consistently underestimate core temperatures possibly due to too large perpendicular heat conductivity. On the contrary, at the high field side (HFS) limiter, simulations overestimate the measured quantities, and highlights the limitation of using Bohm boundary conditions at grazing magnetic angles. Experimental measurements reveal that the boron layer is rapidly eroded, on a timescale comparable to a single ITER discharge. The subsequent transition from a boron-coated to a tungsten wall increases recycling and significantly degrades the core plasma, reducing the electron temperature by nearly half due to W contamination, despite wall parameters remaining stable. Furthermore, comparisons with Langmuir probes, bolometry, reflectometry, and spectroscopy indicate that the experimental far scrape-Off layer (SOL) is significantly wider than simulated. This wide SOL implies that boron erosion extends along the entire HFS limiter rather than being confined to the contact point. This work highlights some characteristics of the plasma during this phase of the discharge and emphasizes the current modelling issues that need to be resolved in order to obtain reliable predictions concerning the ITER ramp-up.

ITER↗
DOE OSTI2025

Predicting weather impacts on corn production in a data-limited region using a transfer learning approach

The stability of food supply and prices may depend more on annual changes in yields from year-to-year variability in weather than on longer-term average changes from changing climatic conditions. However, the absence of high-quality data on crop yields at fine spatial resolutions in many regions of the world makes it challenging to statistically model their response to interannual variability in weather patterns. Therefore, there is a need for empirical methods that can project annual crop yield changes even in limited data regions. Here, we propose a transfer learning algorithm that uses high spatial resolution data from one region to project yields in another region with more limited data. The goal of our work is to understand what data types can be beneficial for transferring learning from a source region to a very different target region with more limited data. We utilize Long Short-Term Memory to develop a transfer learning model that is trained on historical county-level corn yield in the United States and predicts district-level corn yield variations in India. Even using smaller amounts of data in India, simulating a data-scarce region, we achieve an average root mean square error of 0.48 bu acre−1 in predicting interannual yield variations. Using Shapley values to interpret results, we explore the contribution of the different weather parameters to interannual yield variability and find a larger influence of precipitation-related variables. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of this method for transferring models of weather impacts on crop yields trained on a data-rich country to one with more limited data. It suggests the potential of applying the transfer learning model to mitigate the need for extensive raw data globally.

Vishwakarma, Srishti [ORNL] (ORCID:000000031674419↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multi-slice electron ptychographic tomography for three-dimensional phase-contrast microscopy beyond the depth of focus limits

Electron ptychography is a powerful computational method for atomic-resolution imaging with high contrast for weakly and strongly scattering elements. Modern algorithms coupled with fast and efficient detectors allow imaging specimens with tens of nanometers thicknesses with sub-0.5 Ångstrom lateral resolution. However, the axial resolution in these approaches is currently limited to a few nanometers, limiting their ability to solve novel atomic structures ab initio. Here, we experimentally demonstrate multi-slice ptychographic electron tomography, which allows atomic resolution three-dimensional phase-contrast imaging in a volume surpassing the depth of field limits. We reconstruct tilt-series 4D-STEM measurements of a $\mathrm{Co_3O_4}$ nanocube, yielding 2 Å axial and 0.7 Å transverse resolution in a reconstructed volume of $\mathrm{(18.2\,nm)^3}$. Our results demonstrate a 13.5-fold improvement in axial resolution compared to multi-slice ptychography while retaining the atomic lateral resolution and the capability to image volumes beyond the depth of field limit. Multi-slice ptychographic electron tomography significantly expands the volume of materials accessible using high-resolution electron microscopy. We discuss further experimental and algorithmic improvements necessary to also resolve single weakly scattering atoms in 3D.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Limitation of C4 photosynthesis by low carbonic anhydrase activity increases with temperature but does not influence mesophyll CO2 conductance

The CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in C4 plants is initiated by the uptake of bicarbonate (HCO3…) via phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). Generation of HCO3– for PEPC is determined by the interaction between mesophyll CO2 conductance and the hydration of CO2 to HCO3– by carbonic anhydrase (CA). Genetic reduction of CA was previously shown not to limit C4 photosynthesis under ambient atmospheric partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2). However, CA activity varies widely across C4 species and it is unknown if there are specific environmental conditions (e.g. high temperature) where CA may limit HCO3– production for C4 photosynthesis. Additionally, CA activity has been suggested to influence mesophyll conductance, but this has not been experimentally tested. We hypothesize that CA activity can limit PEPC at high temperatures, particularly at low pCO2, but does not directly influence gm. Here we tested the influence of genetically reduced CA activity on photosynthesis and gm in the C4 plant Zea mays under a range of pCO2 and temperatures. Reduced CA activity limited HCO3– production for C4 photosynthesis at low pCO2 as temperatures increased, but did not influence mesophyll conductance. Therefore, high leaf CA activity may enhance C4 photosynthesis under high temperature when stomatal conductance restricts the availability of atmospheric CO2.

Plant Sciences↗