Synthesis and Performance of New Energy Materials in Extreme Environments

Extreme environments – notably extreme pressures and temperatures but also intense particle and electromagnetic fields – can profoundly affect condensed matter, leading to the discovery of new, potentially useful materials with remarkable, even unprecedented, properties. At the same time, these extreme conditions can significantly alter the stability, integrity, and behavior of known materials. Exploring and exploiting extreme environments for material synthesis and performance are particularly important for energy materials, with applications ranging from energy storage, transport, and conversion. A new generation of small-scale laboratory techniques and large facilities such as synchrotron, neutron, laser, and accelerator facilities have taken this field to a new level. This talk highlights selected recent advances in experimental and theoretical studies of energy-related materials in extreme environments conducted in the Chicago/DOE Alliance Center (CDAC) in the Center’s three Science Thrusts.

Thrust 1 - Thermomechanical Extremes – is enhancing the characterization of materials by furthering the synergy between static, quasi-static, and dynamic compression techniques over a broad range of strain and strain rates. The effort capitalizes on new methods for materials dynamics studies, including new diamond anvil cell (DAC) methods and dynamic compression techniques that allow access to expanded P-T ranges with new diagnostics. Recent advances include accurate measurements of P-V-T equations of state of superhard materials [1], compression of hydrogen mixtures to multimegabar pressures [2], and the development of new table-top dynamic compression techniques [3].

Thrust 2 - Chemical and Material Extremes – is advancing our understanding of extreme chemical and physical properties of materials, including novel structure and bonding at high densities, extreme chemical reactivity, and emergent exotic electronic, magnetic, and other quantum properties. This Thrust directly addresses the continuing grand challenge of developing a predictive Periodic Table applicable over the full range of extreme environments that can now be accessed in the laboratory and found in Nature. Recent advances include findings regarding oxidation of nanophase materials [4], the interaction of tritium with metals [5], and the discovery of novel hydrides with remarkable properties such as room-temperature superconductivity [6].

Thrust 3 - Multiple Extremes – is examining the behavior of materials exposed to combined extreme conditions, including intense particle and electromagnetic fields, to enhance material performance and to create new materials. Combining simultaneous multiple extremes yields novel material behavior through synergistic effects that cannot be otherwise obtained. The Thrust has led to the discovery and stabilization of novel phases, including nanoscale defect structures, relevant to energy systems. Recent advances include surprising findings of refractory materials subjected to swift heavy ion irradiation [7] and the effects of radiation damage on phase transitions [8].

[1] M. Somayazulu et al., Phil. Trans. A 381, 20220331 (2023). [2] S. Duwal et al., Phys. Rev. B, 109, 104102 (2024). [3] L. Huston et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 95, 043904 (2024). [4] D. Z. Chaney et al. J. Mater. Sci. 58, 2439–2455 (2023). [5] M. Reddington et al., J. Phys. Chem. C, submitted. [6] A. Denchfield et al., Phys. Rev. Materials 8, L021801 (2024). [7] J. Minnette et al. J. Appl. Phys. 134, 185901 (2023). [8] S. Nan et al., Chem. Geol. 654, 122041 (2024).

This research is supported by the DOE/NNSA (DE-NA0004153).