Tools & Capabilities

The Chemical Process and Nuclear Measurements Group is well-equipped to perform non-destructive elemental analysis in complex media such as battery black mass and e-scrap. The tools listed below are widely applicable techniques for determining the presence and amount of many elements simultaneously in various sample sizes. 

• Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA): PGAA is a non-destructive, sensitive, and accurate method that uses neutrons to determine the elemental composition of a diverse array of materials in various forms, including solids, liquids, and powders. Read more. Contact: Rick Paul.
• Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA): INAA is a powerful analytical technique that uses neutron irradiation and gamma radiation measurement to determine the elemental composition of various materials, including geological and industrial samples. Read more. Contact: Nicholas Sharp.
• Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES): ICP-OES is a versatile analytical technique that uses a high-temperature plasma to atomize and excite the elements in a sample, allowing for the simultaneous measurement of multiple elements. Contact: Maria Isabel Vega Martinez.
• Neutron Depth Profiling (NDP): NDP is a non-destructive technique that uses a cold neutron beam for the measurement of the concentration and distribution of certain elements, such as lithium, boron, and helium, as a function of depth in a material. This instrument is particularly useful for characterizing materials used in energy storage applications, such as lithium-ion batteries, and has been used to study a wide range of materials and phenomena. Read more. Contact: Jamie Weaver.

The Surface and Trace Chemical Analysis Group maintains tools and expertise related to analytical techniques used for the characterization of surfaces, thin films, and particles. Capabilities most relevant to the electronics circularity research activities include: 

• X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometry: XRF is a rapid, non-destructive analytical technique that uses X-ray irradiation and detection of emitted characteristic X-rays to determine the elemental composition of solid materials. Contact: Ruthmara Corzo.

The Thermodynamics and Kinetics Group and the Mechanical Performance Group are integrating a variety of computational tools and experimental capabilities to address challenges associated with developing a more circular metals economy. The characterization and processing capabilities relevant to metals circularity include:  

•  Computational tools and data: A range of computational tools, which span multiple time and length scales, are used to design and optimize new alloys and processing methods and to provide additional insights into observed microstructure and property behavior. Learn more. Contact: Carelyn Campbell.
• Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope (ETEM): The ETEM provides detailed insights into microstructure evolution in a variety of environmental conditions. This is particularly useful for better understanding hydrogen reduction reactions. Contact: Andrew Iams.
• Ultrasonic atomizer: This device can be used to make powder suitable for metals additive manufacturing from both newly developed metal alloys and to evaluate the reuse of metal scrap. Read more. Contact: Andrew Iams.
• System for Additive Manufacturing Metal Alloy Development (SAMAD): This is a custom direct energy deposition system designed to evaluate the additive manufacturing processability of custom powders. Read more. Contact: James Zuback.
• Environmentally-assisted cracking evaluation: NIST has several tools to determine the mechanical behavior of new and recycled alloys under a variety of conditions that replicate in-service use. Contact: Mark Stoudt.
• High-throughput sub-scale tensile testing: NIST has a range of capabilities to perform rapid mechanical property characterization of novel alloys and to evaluate the effects of impurities in recycled alloys. Contact: Saadi Habib.

The Polymers Processing, Polymers and Complex Fluids, and Functional Polymers groups are well equipped to measure polymer composition, processing, and mechanical behavior. Measurement tools and capabilities relevant to plastic circularity include:

• Time-gated Raman spectroscopy (TGRS): Using a pulsed laser and time-resolved detector allows separation of the slower luminescence from the Raman scattering signal. We leverage TGRS to characterize the composition of materials, including post-consumer plastics, and are examining the potential for in-line TGRS. Read more. Contact: Anthony Kotula.
• Rheo-Raman microscopy: Raman spectroscopy coupled with rheology is a significant tool to assess the crystallization and flow behavior of mixed plastics recyclates. Read more. Contacts: Anthony Kotula and Kalman Migler.
• Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)-Raman: By simultaneously measuring thermal transitions (via DSC) and molecular structure (via Raman spectroscopy), our novel DSC-Raman system this instrument enables a new route to characterizing mixed polyolefin blends. Read more. Contact: Chad Snyder.
• High-temperature size exclusion chromatography (HT-SEC): NIST has extensive expertise in quantifying molar mass distributions and branching content of polyolefins and other polymers. Contact: Sara Orksi.
• High strain rate mechanical testing: NIST’s laser-induced particle impact test (LIPIT) platform has been used to understand compatibilizer effectiveness in polyolefin blends. Read more. Contact: Edwin Chan
• nSoft is a consortium designed to deliver technology and expertise within neutron-based measurement science to U.S. based industrial researchers. Read more. Contact: Jon Seppala.
• Autonomous Formulation Lab (AFL): The AFL is focused on accelerating materials discovery and formulation optimization through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) directed, multimodal scattering experiments. Read more. Contact: Tyler Martin.

The Nano Materials Research Group has experimental capabilities relevant to the analysis of micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) chemical composition and size distribution. Some relevant measurement tools and capabilities include:

• Optical photothermal infrared (OPTIR) microscopy: OPTIR microscopy methods are being developed to chemically identify, characterize, and monitor changes to particle properties with sub-micrometer lateral resolution. The application of OPTIR to monitor changing MNP signatures after simulated weathering processes has been demonstrated in this publication. Contact: John Pettibone.
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS): XPS provides an ensemble surface measurement of MNP materials in efforts to understand how weathering induced changes to the surface chemistry and how it may impact particle fate and transport.  Currently, XPS is being used to understand surface chemical transformations of aged MNPs. Read more. Contacts: Justin Gorham.

The Nanostructure Fabrication and Measurement Group has the capability to produce nanostructures via multiple techniques including electron-beam lithography and focused-ion-beam machining. Capability relevant to MNP characterization include:

• Nanoplastic arrays: The capability of producing nano arrays from low-density polyethylene has been demonstrated. Read more. Contact: Samuel Stavis.

The Mass Spectrometry Data Center has extensive mass spectrometry capabilities and develops software tools. Some relevant examples include:

• NIST-Polymer Pyrolysis Search: This app is for the identification of polymers by pyrolysis breakdown products. Read more. Contact: Edward Erisman.
• Reference libraries and software tools: The three standard reference mass spectral libraries as well as six software tools for spectrum analysis, interpretation, and uncertainty estimation are described this publication. Point of contact: William Wallace.

The Infrastructure Materials Group has experimental capabilities related to controlled weathering and degradation relevant for plastics. This includes

• NIST SPHERE (Simulated Photodegradation via High Energy Radiant Exposure): This is a device for controlled weathering and its applicability to plastics. Read more. Contact: Li-Piin Sung.

The Materials and Structural Systems Division has unique experimental capabilities related to well-controlled simulation weathering, materials, and module degradation characterization. The Building Energy and Environment Division maintains a large-area Solar Simulator designed to measure the electrical performance of PV panels. World-class hyperspectral electroluminescence imaging capability allows for imaging of the luminescence response of the entire module, providing insight on shunts, defects and long-term degradation of PV modules.  Capabilities relevant to solar photovoltaics circularity research activities include: 

• NIST SPHERE (Simulated Photodegradation via High Energy Radiant Exposure): This is a device for controlled simulation weathering. Read more. Contact: Li Piin Sung.
• Electrical Performance Measurements: High-power current vs voltage characterization, hyperspectral imaging. Read more. Contact: Behrang Hamadani.
• Photovoltaic Characterization Laboratory: Capabilities and expertise to measure the electrical performance and opto-electronic properties of solar cells and modules. Read more. Contact: Behrang Hamadani.

The Security Technologies Group has expertise and capabilities related to textile circularity, including the following:

• Near Infrared Spectra of Origin-defined and Real-world Textiles (NIR-SORT): A spectroscopic and materials characterization dataset for known provenance and post-consumer fabrics. Learn more. Contact: Amanda Forster.
• Textile characterization capabilities: Spectroscopic methods (benchtop and handheld NIR, handheld Raman) as well as microscopy. Contact: Amanda Forster.