We have studied the assembly of a large heterodimeric protein, bacterial luciferase, by mixing purified subunits expressed separately in bacteria. The individual subunits alpha and beta contain much (66% and 50%, respectively) of the alpha-helix content of the native heterodimer as measured by circular dichroism, yet the alpha subunit lacks observable tertiary structure as measured by NMR. Thes...

The AHTR is a pool-type reactor with graphite matrix coated-particle fuel and a clean molten salt coolant [1]. Due to the very high thermal inertia provided by the pool configuration and molten-salt coolant of the AHTR, the thermal power of the AHTR can be substantially higher than an equivalent gas-cooled reactor, likely exceeding 2000 MW(t). The AHTR, with a molten-salt intermediate loop and ...

The ability to separate fission products by electrodeposition from molten salts depends, in part, on differences between the interactions of the different fission product cations with the ions present in the molten salt "solvent". These differences may be expressed as ratios of activity coefficients, which depend on the identity of the solvent and other factors. Here, we demonstrate the ability...

Production of silicon film directly by electrodeposition from molten salt would have utility in the manufacturing of photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices owing to the simplicity of the process and the attendant low capital and operating costs. Here, dense and uniform polycrystalline silicon films (thickness up to 60 μm) are electrodeposited on graphite sheet substrates at 650 °C from molten ...

We introduce a new concept of hybrid Na-based flow batteries (HNFBs) with a molten Na alloy anode in conjunction with a flowing catholyte separated by a solid Na-ion exchange membrane for grid-scale energy storage. Such HNFBs can operate at ambient temperature, allow catholytes to have multiple electron transfer redox reactions per active ion, offer wide selection of catholyte chemistries with ...

A highly active, monomeric chorismate mutase, obtained by topological redesign of a dimeric helical bundle enzyme from Methanococcus jannaschii, was investigated by NMR and various other biochemical techniques, including H/D exchange. Although structural disorder is generally considered to be incompatible with efficient catalysis, the monomer, unlike its natural counterpart, unexpectedly posses...

A chloride-based molten-salt system that uses a ternary blend of MgCl2/KCl/NaCl is investigated to provide higher-temperature thermal energy storage capability than conventional nitrate salt-based systems. Despite their high stability and operating temperature, molten chlorides present several challenges, including the design internal liners prevent corrosion stress alloy tank shells. This work...

Thermodynamic and electrochemical properties of actinides in molten fluoride salts are one the key data required for design safety assessment any salt reactor concept using liquid based fuel. In case Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR), special attention has to be paid thorium fluoride, which is a direct fuel carrier constituent. This work presents experimental measurement ThF4 activity coefficient...

Given the strong influence of surface structure on reactivity heterogeneous catalysts, understanding mechanisms that control crystal morphology is an important component designing catalytic materials with targeted shape and functionality. Herein, we employ density functional theory to examine impact growth media NiO faceting in line experimental findings, showing molten-salt synthesis alkali ch...

This paper presents a systematic numerical investigation of the transient transport phenomenon during the pileup of molten metal droplets on the substrate. The physical mechanisms of the pileup process, including the bulk liquid, capillarity effects at the liquid-solid interface, heat transfer, and solidification, are identified and quantified numerically. The droplet diameter is 100 μm, and th...