Award Data

Biomimetic CO2 to Fuel Enabled by Scalable Catalyst Development and Synthetic Electrochemistry Methane is a primary source of national energy, often in the form of liquid natural gas (LNG), accounting for up to 30% of all energy produced in the United States. Further, LNG boasts a number of benefits over other chemical energy storage methods: it has a higher volumetric energy density than alternat ...

Viable Gear will provide proof-of-concept for a seaweed-based bioplastic to be used in manufacturing a compostable biotwine for marine equipment, designed to replace petroleum-based plastics. This addresses NOM-SBIR research topic area 9.3, The Changing Ocean - specifically to "support increased protection and restoration of marine and coastal habitats to enhance vital ecosystems", by helping decr ...

We propose simulating and constructing a prototype and demonstration brassboard of a Secondary Emission Sensor Module (SESM) for ionizing radiation, as a proof of principle and guide to Phase II and beyond. The simulation and design studies will guide module construction and point to future uses. The module is anticipated to have ~30 stages of sheet dynode with an areal size ~15x15 cm. It will be ...

Hydropower has the ability to play a critical role in curbing climate change because of the carbon­ free services it provides with its large storage capacities and fast ramping rates to complement the intermittency and uncertainty of other renewable energy resources. However, models used for energy system management and planning, largely, do not comprehensively include water avail­ ability or en ...

C56-10c-273795The proposed SBIR phase I project aims to develop an energy-efficient and sustainable bifunctional nanoarray-based catalyst system that coherently integrates syngas-to-wax hydrocarbons and wax hydrocarbons-to-diesel fuel conversions in a tandem one-step catalytic process for biomass-derived syngas conversion into drop-in transportation hydrocarbons with low aromatic, oxygen, sulfur a ...

Today’s approaches towards power electronics to convert, condition, and manage the electrical output from the fuel cell stack to charge the onboard battery or provide power to the traction motor are wide and varied, with many of them suffering from cognitive entrenchment. This results in over-engineered bespoke systems, that are neither flexible nor scalable, and often tied tightly with specific ...

In order to accelerate widespread electric vehicle adoption, improving battery energy densities, charge rates, manufacturing costs, and safety is imperative. Herein, we propose a scalable manufacturing process to improve LIB cell design using 3-D electrode architectures which will minimize inactive material (30% decrease) leading to a 15% increase in cell energy density (330 Wh/kg) and a 10% decre ...

Hydroelectric power is the world’s largest source of renewable energy. These massive systems are designed for a 50+ year service life, but this can be shortened substantially by poor water quality and the presence of flowing debris, sediment, minerals, and micro- and macro-organisms. Biofouling (especially from invasive species), corrosion, and erosion (wear) of critical components can limit per ...

C56-25e-272785The emission of carbon dioxide gases from industrial facilities can be harmful to the environment and contribute to global warming. By using existing technologies to capture and store these gases in deep underground reservoirs, industry can meet emissions goals while still satisfying energy demand. To ensure permanence and prevent environmental impact, the carbon dioxide storage site ...

Nuclear safety and public acceptance of nuclear energy are of paramount importance for the government to establish and expand the nuclear power program. Although nuclear accidents are rare, they can lead to catastrophic consequences and severe damages in the public confidence and acceptance in nuclear energy. To improve the safety, one of the main tasks is to provide various reliable diagnostic or ...