SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Straw”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 19 records

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

Complementary effects of supplemental feeding and straw retention on winter biodiversity in rice agroecosystems

Rice paddies are both major food-production systems and critical winter habitats for wildlife. In the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) adjoining the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), post-harvest interventions such as supplementary grain feeding and straw retention are promoted through agronomic and conservation incentives. These measures differ in ecological scope: feeding provides direct, concentrated energetic subsidies, whereas straw management alters habitat structure and resource bases. We clarified whether these pathways function in complementary or substitutive ways to support resilient, long-term conservation strategies in rice agroecosystems. Using camera traps, we evaluated the effects of three straw treatments (chopped-straw, whole-straw, straw-removed) and supplemental feeding on winter bird and mammal communities across 48 rice fields in the CCZ. Our results demonstrate that feeding produced strong, localized increases in bird abundance and richness, driven mainly by cranes (Grus japonensis and Antigone vipio) and geese (Anser spp.), with limited effects on Shannon diversity or functional structure. Among non-feeding fields, chopped-straw paddies consistently supported higher richness and Shannon diversity than whole-straw or straw-removed fields, while centroid shifts in taxonomic and functional space were modest. Mammal abundance and diversity were largely insensitive to feeding or straw regimes, varying instead with road and forest distance and regional context. Supplemental feeding and straw retention are therefore not interchangeable tools: feeding concentrates a few avian guilds, whereas chopped-straw retention enhances baseline diversity across farmland. Collectively, our findings suggest integrating low-input straw retention with targeted feeding offers a more robust pathway for sustaining winter biodiversity in rice agroecosystems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Synthesis and acoustic properties study of castor‐oil‐based polyurethane foams with the addition of graphene‐oxide‐modified straw fibers

Abstract Polyurethane foam (PUF) can absorb sound by air friction and structural vibrations of cell walls. It is widely used as acoustic material in the automotive industry. According to existing studies, graphene oxide (GO) can improve the acoustic properties of PUF. However, GO tends to coalesce inside PUF. In this paper, straw fibers were modified with different concentrations of GO solution to embed GO on the surface of plant fibers. The GO was dispersed in the PUF using straw fibers. In addition, some studies show that the wrinkled morphology of the GO surface is believed to play a mechanical interlocking role in improving interfacial bonding, thus enhancing the stress transfer between the plant fibers and the polyurethane (PU) matrix and improving the mechanical properties of the PU composites. The acoustic and mechanical properties of the modified PU materials were observed by treating plant fibers with appropriate amounts of GO solution. The experimental study shows that the sample modified with 1 g L −1 GO solution reaches a maximum average sound absorption coefficient of 0.5838 when the straw fiber content reaches 0.5 g, and the sample modified with 2 g L −1 GO solution reaches a maximum transmission loss of 10.5333 when the straw fiber content reaches 1 g. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.

Yang, Keyao↗

DOE OSTI2023

Inhibition of enzyme hydrolysis of cellulose by phenols from hydrothermally pretreated sugarcane straw

Relatively few studies have addressed the characterization of sugarcane straw (SCS) for production of fermentable sugars through enzyme hydrolysis. Straw is a major co-product of the sugarcane harvest in Brazil that has potential to sustainably increase cellulosic feedstocks in Brazil by 50%. Pretreatment of 10% w/v straw with liquid hot water (LHW) at 180°C for 50 min (severity, S of 4.05), solubilizes hemicellulose, preserves glucan, and generates 4.49 g/L soluble phenolic compounds in the resulting liquid. Extracts from washing pretreated solids with excess hot water followed by acetone resulted in 1.10 and 0.83 g/L phenolics, respectively. Here, acetone-derived extracts were more inhibitory and decreased glucose yield for enzyme hydrolysis of Solka Floc (a lignin-free cellulose) by 42%. In comparison, pretreated straw washed with hot water or acetone was readily hydrolyzed to 92% and 97% by cellulase enzyme. Hydrothermally treated SCS has the potential to provide a valuable and added source of fermentable sugars suitable for bioprocessing into biofuels and bioproducts when cellulase enzyme inhibitors are removed after pretreatment.

Deactivation↗

DOE OSTI2023

Downregulation of barley ferulate 5-hydroxylase dramatically alters straw lignin structure without impact on mechanical properties

Barley is a major cereal crop for temperate climates, and a diploid genetic model for polyploid wheat. Cereal straw biomass is an attractive source of feedstock for green technologies but lignin, a key determinant of feedstock recalcitrance, complicates bio-conversion processes. However, manipulating lignin content to improve the conversion process could negatively affect agronomic traits. An alternative approach is to manipulate lignin composition which influences the physical and chemical properties of straw. This study validates the function of a barley ferulate 5-hydroxylase gene and demonstrates that its downregulation using the RNA-interference approach substantially impacts lignin composition. We identified five barley genes having putative ferulate 5-hydroxylase activity. Downregulation of HvF5H1 substantially reduced the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio in straw while the lignin content, straw mechanical properties, plant growth habit, and grain characteristics all remained unaffected. Metabolic profiling revealed significant changes in the abundance of 173 features in the HvF5H1-RNAi lines. The drastic changes in the lignin polymer of transgenic lines highlight the plasticity of barley lignification processes and the associated potential for manipulating and improving lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for green technologies. On the other hand, our results highlight some differences between the lignin biosynthetic pathway in barley, a temperate climate grass, and the warm climate grass, rice, and underscore potential diversity in the lignin biosynthetic pathways in grasses.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Tailoring biogenic straw insulation from additive manufacturing

In the pursuit of carbon-storing materials that could help accomplish high levels of building sustainability, wheat straw has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuel-based building materials. Straw is 100% biodegradable and abundant agricultural waste used in the construction 400 years ago, and it has been reported to have the lowest embodied carbon when measured against other typical insulating materials. Here, in this study, we report additive manufacturing of carbon-sequestration insulation panel materials by upcycling cellulose fibrils from wheat straw. Cellulose obtained from alkaline and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical-mediated oxidation shows thermal conductivity of 0.036 W m -1 K -1 , alongside elastic and flexural modulus of 900 MPa and 502 MPa, respectively. In addition, an in-situ hydrophobic treatment in the cellulose-based insulation panels is achieved with an average water contact angle of 133.7° Furthermore, the extrusion-based additive manufacturing of a 3D-printable ink obtained by mixing the cellulose and silica aerogel precursor is accomplished, with the printed material exhibiting structural integrity, thus showing great potential towards the development of state-of-the-art, sustainable materials for carbon-sequestration building applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Biogenic Straw Aerogel Thermal Insulation Materials

Biogenic wheat straw is a carbon-storing building insulation material. However, the enzymatic hydrolysis ratio of its cellulose is relatively low due to the presence of hemicellulose and lignin hindering its thermal insulation performance. In this work, we report aerogel and straw composites with thermal conductivity of 35 mW m –1 K –1 , while high cellulose fiber conversion in straw is obtained by using a hybrid mechanical and chemical process. Furthermore, we show that the in-situ cellulose-reinforced silica aerogel nanocomposites exhibit an optimal thermal conductivity of 32 mW m –1 K –1 by using 50 wt% of aerogel. Moreover, the hydrophobic aerogel-cellulose composites show a low density, high porosity (90 %), high compression modulus (1.9 MPa), superhydrophobicity, and superior reusability. This work provides a cost-effective and facile method to manufacture biogenic composites from agriculture waste materials, promising for carbon-sequestration building insulation applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of the muon spin precession frequency using the straw tracking detectors at the Fermilab Muon g-2 experiment

The measurement of the anomalous magnetic dipole moment of the muon ($a_{\mu}$) has long stood as an excellent precision test of the Standard Model (SM). The Fermilab Muon g-2 experiment has recently finished data-taking and in July 2023 published its latest determination of $a_\mu$ with a world-leading precision of 0.2\,ppm. In this publication, it surpassed the systematic uncertainty goal defined in the TDR. The analyses of a dataset approximately four times larger than this recent publication is now underway. The principle measurement of the Muon g-2 experiment measures $a_{\mu}$ by taking the ratio of two frequencies; the anomalous precession frequency ($\omega_a$) and the muon-weighted magnetic field of the experiment's storage ring measured from the precession frequency of protons in water using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probes. In all publications to date, $\omega_a$ has been determined using energy deposits in the 24 calorimeters. However, the Fermilab experiment has t wo straw tracker detectors measuring the time and momentum of charged particles which can in principle also be used to to measure $\omega_a$ and such a measurement can provide an invaluable cross-check of the calorimeter result with different, and reduced, systematic uncertainties. This thesis presents the first (blinded) determination of $\omega_a$ using just charged tracks from the straw tracking detectors as opposed to calorimeter energy deposits. This analysis was undertaken using the Run-2/3 dataset which represents approximately 25\% of the final dataset. A total uncertainty of 2.19\,ppm on $\omega_a$ was obtained which is dominated by the statistical uncertainty of 2.16\,ppm. Additionally two new methodologies important to the analysis of the straw tracking data have been developed: one to better determine the track arrival time ($t_0$) and one to determine the level of pileup in the tracking detectors. The new $t_0$ algorithm which incorporates angular information improves t he resolution on the determination of the $t_0$ by a factor of two and results in 19\% more tracks being successfully reconstructed. The data from the trackers is also used to determine the beam profile that weights the magnetic field in the determination of $a_\mu$ and in determining several of the systematic uncertainties in the calorimeter-based $\omega_a$ analysis. A detailed study of the impact of the internal alignment of the tracker, the $t_0$ and pileup on the determination of the beam position was undertaken and propagated through to an uncertainty in the $\omega_a$ determination. These uncertainties were used in the Fermilab Muon g-2 experiment's recent publication in Phys. Rev. Lett.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Boron coated straw-based neutron multiplicity counter for neutron interrogation of TRISO fueled pebbles

Pebble bed reactors (PBRs) can improve the safety and economics of the nuclear energy production. PBRs rely on TRIstructural-ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel pebbles for enhanced fission product retention. Accurate characterization of individual fuel pebbles would enable the validation of computational models, efficient use of TRISO fuel, and improve fuel accountability. Here, we have developed and tested a new neutron multiplicity counter (NMC) based on 192 boron coated straw (BCS) detectors optimized for 235 U assay in TRISO fuel. The new design yielded a singles and doubles neutron detection efficiency of 4.71% and 0.174%, respectively, and a die-away time of 16.7 μs. The NMC has a low intrinsic gamma-ray detection efficiency of 8.71 x 10 –8 at an exposure rate of 80.3 mR/h. In simulation, a high-efficiency version of the NMC encompassing 396 straws was able to estimate the 235 U in a pebble with a relative uncertainty and error both below 2% in 100 s.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Mu2e straw tracker detector status and prototype results

The Mu2e experiment will search for charge-lepton flavor violating (CLFV) muon to electron conversion. It aims to achieve a four-orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over previous experiments, allowing it to probe new physics at mass scales up to 10 4 TeV . A precision momentum measurement is needed to resolve the monoenergetic electron that is the signal of CLFV conversion from muon decay-in-orbit backgrounds. Here, this is achieved in Mu2e using a low-mass cylindrical straw tracker operated in vacuum, consisting of 21,000 thin-wall mylar straws held at tension. The Mu2e tracker is now in production and will be completed during 2025. We will discuss the design and status of the experiment and the tracker detector, and show results from data taken with the first tracker module.

Gaseous detector↗

DOE OSTI2026

Mu2e straw tube tracker gas flow quality control

Here, we present a tracker gas flow quality control method developed for the Mu2e straw tube tracker. Using time-dependent current measurements, we quantify the onset time of ionization gain induced by an 55 F source during gas exchange, which is correlated to the gas conductance in the straw. This allows for the identification of channels with inadequate flow. This approach is broadly applicable to other gaseous detectors that require high-channel-count screening.

Flow↗

DOE OSTI2025

Mu2e Tracker Electronics - Construction of a Straw Tracker

The Mu2e experiment, currently under construction at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) in Batavia, Illinois, is a particle physics experiment designed to detect Charged Lepton Flavor Violation (CLFV) via muon-to-electron conversion, a process beyond the Standard Model (BSM). One of the primary Mu2e detectors is the Straw Tracker, whose purpose is to measure the momentum of the electron, identify the signal, and reject background. The straw tubes are being read out by a total of 20,736 preamplifiers (preamps) within 36 planes that make up the Tracker. In this presentation, the installation of electronics into the Tracker, the implementation of anti-oscillation copper clips, and the process of installing fully constructed planes into the frame will be discussed in depth.

Lynch, Alec [UC, Berkeley]↗

DOE OSTI2022

Application of Box-Behnken design in optimizing product properties of supercritical methanol co -liquefaction of rice straw and linear low-density polyethylene

We report co-processing of plastic and biomass wastes to produce high-quality fuel has been attracting considerable interest in energy recovery. This work employed Box-Behnken Design (BBD) to optimize yield and properties of oil from supercritical methanol (scMeOH) co-liquefaction of rice straw (RS) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). Three independent variables of reaction temperature (270, 300, and 330°C), holding time (60, 90, and 120 mins), and RS/LLDPE mass ratio (0.15, 0.50, and 0.85) were selected for experiments. A maximum oil yield of 34.17 wt% was achieved at 303°C, 96 mins, and RS/LLDPE ratio of 0.59 according to BBD. Temperature and RS/LLDPE ratio dominated the oil yield and synergistic effects during co-liquefaction, whereas time was an insignificant factor. Optimum oil from co-liquefaction contained substantial hydrocarbons content of 32.91% compared to that from single RS-derived oil of 7.77%. Solid product obtained at the optimum condition could be used as solid fuel, due to its relatively high HHV of 43.08 MJ/kg compared to the other solid fuels (13.90–32.14 MJ/kg). This work provides a deep understanding of the co-processing of solid biomass and plastic wastes.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Carbon-Sequestration Straw Cellulose-Aerogel Gradient Thermal Insulation Material

Green superinsulation materials are essential for net-zero sustainable building envelopes. Realizing such potential is indispensable for simultaneously achieving carbon-sequestration and superinsulation performance. Here, we report the synthesis of a water glass-based silica aerogel exhibiting a thermal conductivity of 17.2 mW/m·K and a high porosity of 92%. Here, we used carbon-sequestration wheat straw fiber to create a gradient cellulose-aerogel composite to improve mechanical stability. The as-prepared gradient composite exhibits a thermal conductivity of 27.1 mW/m·K and a flexural modulus of 824 MPa, while exhibiting superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 135.4°) for the development of green building insulation materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Non-Destructive Plutonium Assay in Pyroprocessing Bulk Materials with a 3D Boron-Coated-Straw Detector Array

Assessment of plutonium content through all the processing steps is needed and is a challenging task. While several destructive assay methods have been developed for nuclear material accountability, a nondestructive assay (NDA) system for the assessment of plutonium in bulk materials is still needed. This system should withstand pyroprocessing harsh environments and have consistent sensitivity and accuracy despite different fuel form factors. We aim to enable the accurate assessment of the plutonium content of nuclear material during pyroprocessing to improve the separation process and enhance its proliferation resistance. We plan to achieve this goal by developing and demonstrating a new 3D boron-coated-straw neutron detector array (3D-BCSDA) with high efficiency and spatial resolution.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Allylation and Thermosetting of Acetosolv Wheat Straw Lignin

Abstract The acetosolv extraction, allylation and subsequent cross‐linking of wheat straw lignin to thermoset biomaterials is herein described. The extraction temperature proved to be of great importance for the quality of the resulting lignin, with moderate temperature being key for preservation of β‐O‐4’ linkages. The allylation of the acetosolv lignin was carried out using three different synthetic strategies, resulting in selective installation of either benzylic or phenolic allyl ethers, or unselective allylation of various hydroxyl groups via etherification and carboxyallylation. The different allylation protocols employed either allyl alcohol, allyl chloride, or diallylcarbonate as allyl precursors, with the latter resulting in the highest degree of functionalization. Selected allylated acetosolv lignins were cross‐linked using a thiol‐ene approach and the lignin with the highest density of allyl groups was found to form a cross‐linked thermoset material with properties comparable to kraft lignin‐based analogues.

Chemistry↗

DOE OSTI2025

Bioinspired Dry‐Steam Superinsulation Straw Foam

Abstract Cellulosic materials offer sustainable advantages for building energy conservation. However, their development has been hindered by reduced thermal performance, often caused by structural collapse during the transition from solution to solid. Inspired by natural goose down, a bio‐based, lightweight insulation foam derived from agricultural waste straw is presented. Through in situ synthesis, bio‐silica fibers with branched structures capable of supporting hollow silica microspheres are fabricated. After steam‐mediated processing, the resulting foam exhibit low density (95 mg cm − 3 ), high porosity (95.5%), low thermal conductivity (0.03 ± 0.003 W mK −1 ), and a cyclic compressive strength of 90 kPa at 50% strain. Owing to the synergistic microstructure formed by branched bio‐fibers and hollow silica spheres, the bio‐silica foam exhibit outstanding thermal insulation performance relative to other bio‐based foams prepared by ambient drying. A passivated insulation panel is further developed by incorporating this material as the core component, achieving a thermal conductivity of 0.0275 W mk −1 and flexural strength of 6.85 MPa. The panel demonstrated durability with stable thermal performance throughout a 60‐day outdoor test. Moreover, the bio‐silica foam shows a carbon footprint of 7.50 kgCO₂ kg −1 at 70.2 wt.% silica, highlighting its promise as a sustainable insulation solution for green buildings.

Chemistry↗

DOE OSTI2022

The role of lignin in the conversion of wheat straw to cellobionic acid by Neurospora crassa HL10

An engineered Neurospora crassa strain (HL10) naturally produces cellulases, cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH), and heterologously expresses laccase. It can convert Avicel (cellulose) to cellobionic acid (cellobionate) without any enzyme addition at high yields. However, the addition of a catalytic amount of artificial redox mediators was required to achieve a high yield conversion. When a lignocellulosic substrate like wheat straw was used as the carbon source, it was found that adding exogenous artificial redox mediators did not improve cellobionate yield. We hypothesized that lignin and lignin degradation products were able to serve as redox mediators for the CDH-laccase conversion system. Experiments were designed to prove the hypothesis. When N. crassa HL10 was grown on Avicel, the addition of enzyme hydrolyzed lignin (EHL) can achieve a similar level of cellobionate production as with ABTS addition. The addition of EHL can increase the cellobionate production rate in the CDH-laccase bi-enzyme system using cellobiose as the substrate. The formation of lignin radicals, and the quenching of lignin radicals by reduced CDH, were verified by an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiment, providing further evidence that lignin radicals can serve as the electron acceptor of reduced CDH. Hence, lignocellulosic biomass is a self-sufficient substrate for the production of cellobionate. The conversion of the lignocellulosic substrate to cellobionate using N. crassa HL10 can be achieved without any exogenous enzyme addition or redox mediator addition.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Techno-economic analysis of sugarcane bagasse and straw conversion into cellulosic ethanol via consolidated bioprocessing

Cellulosic biofuels offer a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and a means to mitigate climate change. Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) featuring engineered thermophilic bacteria, combined with mechanical disruption during fermentation (cotreatment), has potential to lower production costs compared to featuring thermochemical pretreatment and added cellulase. A techno-economic analysis was conducted (230 million L ethanol/year) from sugarcane bagasse and straw at stand-alone facilities generating electricity from residues. Three scenarios were evaluated: Conventional, featuring hydrothermal pretreatment, fungal cellulase, and yeast fermentation (current commercial standard); Mid-term CBP, relying on bagasse solubilization without pretreatment or cotreatment; and Mature CBP, incorporating cotreatment but no pretreatment. Results for these scenarios in this order were: fixed capital investment (CapEx) $\$$589M, $\$$658M, and $\$$472M; net annual revenue (EBITDA) $\$$56M, $\$$96M, and $\$$94M; and minimum ethanol selling price 0.73, 0.61, and 0.48 US$\$$/L. Payback periods were 10.5, 6.9, and 5.1 years, while all scenarios showed <5 years at European prices for scales >100M L/year. Sensitivity and risk analysis highlighted ethanol price as the most critical variable. It is notable that Mid-term CBP had shorter payback times and better overall economic feasibility compared to Conventional. Our results underscore opportunities for research-driven innovation on low-cost cellulosic ethanol technologies in Brazil and elsewhere.

Consolidated bioprocessing↗