Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used neutron scattering to uncover magnetic excitations in a rare-earth based intermetallic compound. The study reveals exotic magnetic properties, challenging conventional expectations of magnetic behavior in materials.
Researchers have discovered a magnetic crystal structure that can host Weyl fermions, which are predicted to revolutionize spintronics and quantum computing. The study found two conditions required for the presence of these massless particles in an osmium-based material.
A team of researchers used neutron crystallography to better understand a protein implicated in HIV replication, revealing a pH-induced proton 'hopping' mechanism that guides the enzyme's activity. This understanding is vital for drug resistance and guiding rational drug design.
Researchers at ORNL have demonstrated a scalable method to produce semiconducting nanoparticles using bacteria-fed sugar at temperatures below 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This approach reduces production costs by approximately 90 percent compared to conventional methods, making it attractive for applications in electronics, displays, solar...
Using neutron scattering, researchers have discovered ferromagnetism on the surface of a hybrid topological insulator material at room temperature. The discovery could lead to new opportunities for next-generation electronic and spintronic devices.
Researchers have identified a new mechanism for fast ion transport in solid electrolytes, enabling safe and high-power batteries. The discovery provides a new strategy for designing highly conductive solid electrolytes.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered a new state of water molecules exhibiting quantum tunneling behavior under ultra-confinement. This phenomenon is unmatched by any known gas, liquid, or solid states, with implications for understanding thermodynamic properties and behavior in confined environments.
Scientists have developed new adsorbents that can extract uranium from seawater, reducing the cost by three to four times. The technology has shown promising results, with an ORNL adsorbent material capable of holding 5.2 grams of uranium per kilogram in natural seawater exposure.
A multi-institution team is using the Titan supercomputer to study actinide chemistry and design methods for separating radioactive compounds from their inert counterparts. The team aims to develop a broad understanding of actinide science to safely store spent nuclear fuel and remediate contamination.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory synthesized a stack of monolayers of two lattice-mismatched semiconductors, gallium selenide and molybdenum diselenide. The achievement demonstrates the promise of synthesizing mismatched layers to enable new families of functional two-dimensional materials.
Scientists at ORNL used neutron scattering to observe novel behavior in a two-dimensional magnet, providing evidence for long-sought phenomena in a Kitaev quantum spin liquid. The findings suggest the presence of Majorana fermions, which could be used as the basis for a qubit.
ORNL researchers have found a potential path to improve solar cell efficiency by understanding the competition among halogen atoms during perovskite synthesis. The study reveals that bromine, chlorine, and iodine ions facilitate growth but only iodine gets into the final crystal structure.
ORNL researchers develop a new thermoplastic called ABL with improved performance and recyclability. The material uses lignin as a renewable feedstock, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
Scientists create high-resolution maps of samples without altering them, enabling noninvasive exploration of electrochemical phenomena and living cell membranes. This breakthrough method uses microwaves and a scanning probe to image nanoscale systems in liquids.
A new processing technique has been developed to create low-power, high-efficiency electronic devices using layered ferroelectric materials. This discovery could potentially replace silicon in some applications and enable the creation of flexible electronics.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a technique to track ion movement in the MXene material, revealing important insights into its energy storage properties. The study's findings suggest that ion insertion and diffusion play a crucial role in the material's exceptional performance.
Researchers at ORNL have developed a new method that provides unprecedented detail on energy flow in nanometer scale, enabling the improvement of solar cells' performance. The technique uses femtosecond transient absorption microscopy to extract images with single-pixel precision.
A novel in-situ plasma processing technique has been successfully applied to superconducting cavities at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), significantly improving neutron production and accelerating beam energy. The technique uses hot plasma to clean hydrocarbon contamination from surfaces, reducing maintenance time and costs.
Researchers used neutron characterization techniques to study the nature of atomic motifs in complex metal oxides. They discovered a novel atomic disordering mechanism that challenges previous assumptions about their behavior under extreme environments.
The three DOE-funded research centers are making progress on developing advanced biofuels. The 500th invention disclosure highlights the centers' collaborative approach to overcoming biofuel production challenges.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing experimental pretreatments to improve the cost-effectiveness of biofuel production. A new app, FuelEconomy.gov, helps consumers make informed buying decisions and save fuel. Meanwhile, a heat pump technology developed by ORNL can reduce energy consumption in cold climates by u...
Researchers used low-frequency Raman spectroscopy to decipher stacking patterns in 2D materials, revealing unique effects of vibrations between layers. The study provides a platform for engineering materials with optical and electronic properties strongly dependent on stacking configurations.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a 23.7-million atom system to study the interaction of enzymes with pretreated biomass, revealing why lignin is a significant barrier to biofuel production. The simulation demonstrated that lignin binds to cellulose and attracts enzyme binding domains, hindering fermentation.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf are exploring the use of high-powered lasers to accelerate ions for cancer treatment. By accelerating ions to therapeutic energies in a short time, they can deposit most of their energy inside tumors while leaving healthy tissue unharmed.
Researchers at ORNL will support two new DOE-funded projects exploring advanced nuclear reactor technologies, including molten chloride fast reactors and pebble bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactors.
A study from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory-based BioEnergy Science Center finds unconventional bacteria could help boost cellulosic biofuel production efficiency. Researchers analyzed six microorganisms to solubilize switchgrass, a potential bioenergy feedstock.
The research aims to develop an efficient computational fluid dynamics code for fire suppression, including heat transfer, material flammability, and water spray dynamics. FM Global's FireFOAM simulation tool is available as open-source software to researchers studying fires and fire suppression.
A cell-free protein synthesis system developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory uses microfabricated bioreactors to produce therapeutic proteins for medicines and biopharmaceuticals. This technology simplifies the process, lowers cost, and enables point-of-care use.
A new neutron study at Oak Ridge National Laboratory reveals promising results that could drastically boost the performance of solid-state electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries, leading to safer and more efficient batteries. The study found a common rule governing how dopants redistribute vacancies in garnet structures, enabling materi...
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new ultra-high-resolution technique to study polymer fibers trapping uranium in seawater. The findings suggest that traditional approaches to understanding the binding of uranium by polymer fibers do not accurately represent its behavior in bulk materials.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a virtually perfect single layer of 'white graphene,' featuring high mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and transparency. This breakthrough material could enable faster data transfers and improve the performance of electronic devices.
Researchers used supercomputing to simulate protein motion over a huge range of timescales, revealing self-similar dynamics and out-of-equilibrium phenomenon. This breakthrough has significant implications for advancing energy and medical sciences.
Atomic-level imaging of catalysts using ORNL microscopy has enabled the tracking of atomic reconfigurations in individual platinum-cobalt nanoparticle catalysts during heating. This study provides valuable insights into the evolution of specific atomic configurations and their impact on catalytic performance.
Researchers are using the Titan supercomputer to create physics-based earthquake simulations to better understand earthquake systems and predict ground shaking in large earthquakes. The team has completed its highest resolution simulation map for Southern California, providing a tool for engineers to design and build critical infrastru...
Researchers at ORNL developed a unique electron microscopy technique to sculpt 3D structures with precise control, enabling the creation of functional nanoscale devices. The method uses scanning transmission electron microscopes to precision-control shapes as small as one to two billionths of a meter.
A new hybrid optical microscope/mass spectrometry-based imaging system developed at ORNL provides sub-micron resolution for chemical analysis and differentiates between polymers and cells. The technology enhances understanding of material interactions, drug transport, disease progression, and response to treatment.
Researchers at ORNL discovered a new mechanism for converting bio-based ethanol into hydrocarbon blend-stocks, eliminating an energy-consuming intermediary step. This breakthrough could support the economic viability of direct biofuel-to-hydrocarbon conversion technologies.
Researchers used America's most powerful supercomputer, Titan, to compute the neutron distribution of calcium-48, finding a smaller difference between neutron and proton distributions. This calculation impacts the size of neutron stars, connecting objects with a 18-order magnitude size difference.
Designing alloys to withstand extreme environments is a fundamental challenge for materials scientists. Researchers found that exploiting the complexity of equal amounts of up to four different metallic elements can lead to improved radiation resistance. The results reveal significantly reduced defect production and damage accumulation...
The new catalyst developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory features unprecedented selectivity and a conversion rate nearly twice that of conventional catalysts. This breakthrough enables the selective oxidation of cyclohexane to produce nylon precursor with increased efficiency.
Researchers at ORNL discovered the atomic mechanism behind tin selenide's high efficiency in converting temperature gradients to electricity. The material's unusual atomic vibrations help prevent 'heat leaks,' maximizing conversion into electricity.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new solvent-based method to manufacture ultrathin films used in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells. This method eliminates the need for thermal annealing, resulting in improved film morphology and increased photovoltaic performance.
Researchers at ETH Zurich improve nanoscale component simulations using the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility's Cray XK7 Titan supercomputer. The team achieves significant reductions in simulation time, enabling accurate modeling of 10,000 atoms and paving the way for next-generation hardware development.
A team of researchers is using the Cray XK7 Titan supercomputer to simulate hundreds of millions of red blood cells in an attempt to develop better drug delivery methods and predictors for diseases like sickle cell anemia. The simulations are focused on understanding how these diseases interact with human blood vessels, particularly in...
Scientists have identified microbes that produce methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury, in environments such as coastal sediments, marshes, and rice paddies. The discovery builds on previous work and highlights the risk of increased methylmercury production due to climate change.
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found a way to assemble photovoltaic polymers in water using a surfactant, enabling the creation of defect-free polymer assemblies for fast electric charge transport. This breakthrough creates molecular building blocks for designing optoelectronic and sensory materials.
Researchers at ORNL have created flexible polymer carbon composite films as electrodes for supercapacitors, achieving high power and energy density. The technology can consume up to 50 tons of scrap tires daily, providing relief from the expected 1.5 billion discarded tires by 2035.
Researchers have successfully trapped single atoms or molecules using a laser light in a doughnut-shaped metal cage. This breakthrough could lead to the development of advanced storage devices, computers, and high-resolution instruments. The technique uses scanning probe microscopy techniques to access individual nano-traps.
Researchers have developed a new mixed oxide catalyst that overcomes inhibition issues, allowing for more efficient engines to meet stricter emission regulations. The unique formulation of copper oxide, cobalt oxide, and cerium oxide enables better oxidation activity at low temperatures without precious metals.
A team of researchers is using advanced computational models to better understand multiphase flows in porous media. They aim to improve carbon sequestration, mitigate climate change, and optimize energy extraction. By analyzing data from experiments and simulations, the team is developing a multiscale framework to model complex systems.