Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a technology that converts unrecyclable plastic waste into useful chemicals, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This new approach presents a promising strategy for establishing closed-loop circularity of plastics and fighting global plastic waste.
Researchers at ORNL discover that hafnia's ferroelectricity is coupled to its surface and tunable by changing the surrounding atmosphere. This breakthrough enables predictive modeling and device engineering of hafnia, crucial for the semiconductor industry.
Researchers found common and diverse microbes in hot springs on three continents with water temperatures above 65°C. The study provides insights into how microorganisms adapt to unique local conditions and geological settings.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Safari program aims to connect post-exit entrepreneurs with commercially relevant technologies developed by world-leading scientific experts. The program seeks to expedite the transition of research toward the marketplace, promoting U.S. competitiveness and national security.
A team of scientists led by Timothy Gray has discovered a long-lived excited state in radioactive sodium-32 nuclei, which has an unusually long lifetime of 24 microseconds. This finding challenges traditional nuclear structure models and raises questions about how nuclear shapes evolve over time.
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing new cancer treatments that target the metabolic pathway hijacked by cancer cells. Using neutrons and x-rays, researchers mapped the enzyme structure to design roadblocks along the pathway.
The Energy Bootcamp, developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, aims to provide hands-on training for industrial plant managers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The program offers free software tools, diagnostic equipment, and expert guidance to help manufacturers decarbonize their facilities and improve cost savings.
The partnership supports 13 startups, most of which are new to East Tennessee, providing training, mentoring, and connections with regional government agencies and industry. The combined program aims to grow Knoxville's entrepreneurial community and strengthen its clean energy innovation ecosystem.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered that some phytoplankton can degrade methylmercury even without sunlight. This finding enhances the prediction and accuracy of mercury-cycling models, reducing risks to human health and the environment.
The Department of Energy's Office of Science has selected five Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists for the Early Career Research Program. The awardees include Matthew Brahlek, Jack Cahill, Eugene Dumitrescu, and two additional researchers. Their research focuses on creating new chiral systems, elucidating genes associated with bio...
The seventh cohort of Innovation Crossroads aims to develop transformative energy technologies. Cohort 7 fellows are creating innovative solutions for plastic waste recycling, energy storage, and wind turbine blade production.
A team of researchers led by ORNL's Alex Plotkowski developed a novel high-performance alloy, 3Cr-XHTS steel, which can withstand extreme temperatures and stresses. The new alloy demonstrated significant improvements in fatigue strength and oxidation resistance compared to existing materials.
Researchers are working to understand and predict wildfires' effects on the environment, including their impact on the carbon cycle and biodiversity. Studies have shown that repeated wildfires can accelerate the transition from tree- to shrub-dominated ecosystems, reducing plant diversity.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a dry battery manufacturing process that eliminates toxic solvents and improves durability. The new method enables higher energy density and better long-term cyclability, paving the way for cleaner, more affordable high-energy EV batteries.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers reconstructed crude oil transport paths by linking geotagged images with national railway networks. The study found that these inferred routes aligned with approximately 96% of documented incidents, highlighting potential risks along rail routes.
Scientists identified habitats and simulated solutions like conservation buffers and open-bottom culverts to allow safe passage for salamanders and other wildlife. The model boosts ecological connectivity while reducing costs compared to large-scale barrier removal.
Scientists discovered that a thin layer of charged lithium atoms moving across anode and cathode is crucial for the battery's excellent performance. The discovery could lead to more energy-dense, safer, and faster-charging batteries.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a novel method to transform normal insulators into magnetic topological insulators using electric fields. This breakthrough could lead to high-speed, low-power electronics with reduced energy consumption.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered a method to press solid electrolytes, eliminating air pockets that block ion flow and increasing conductivity by nearly 1,000 times. This breakthrough enables unprecedented control over internal structure, paving the way for industrial-scale processing and more reliable batteries.
A new, energy-efficient approach to removing CO2 directly from air has been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and licensed to Holocene. The technology uses an aqueous solution containing receptors called Bis-iminoguanidine to absorb carbon dioxide, which can then be stored deep underground.
The Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility has selected Matt Sieger as its new project director for the OLCF-6 effort. The system aims to provide leadership computing capabilities to researchers and is expected to be delivered in 2026.
Scientists have produced a signature nuclear reaction on Earth that mimics the process occurring on neutron stars. The experiment uses a unique gas jet target system to understand nuclear reactions that occur when material falls onto the surface of these celestial bodies, providing new insights into element formation and stellar dynamics.
Researchers are harnessing Frontier's exascale capabilities to tackle complex scientific challenges, including nuclear fusion and earthquake forecasting. The system has already demonstrated impressive performance, with updated rankings on the TOP500 list and improved benchmark scores.
Kelly Chipps, a nuclear astrophysicist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been appointed to the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee. The committee provides official advice to DOE and NSF on issues relating to basic nuclear science research. Chipps brings extensive expertise in nuclear physics and leadership experience to this role.
Researchers have developed software to remove signal interference from neutron experiments under megabar pressures. This enables the accurate extraction of data on extraordinary atomic structures of materials.
Andrew Lupini, a scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elected Fellow of the Microscopy Society of America. He made significant contributions to aberration correction in scanning transmission electron microscopy, improving resolution and advancing the field.
Researchers identify potential application of quantum compression in edge computing, which could save storage space and network bandwidth. Quantum compression, a new concept, is being explored as an enabling tool for edge applications, with classical techniques compared to quantum approaches.
Scientists found a common plasminogen-apple-nematode domain in plants like poplar and willow that is also present in the human NRP1 receptor protein, which holds promise as a future therapeutic target for COVID-19 treatment. Mutating amino acids in this domain disrupted the virus's ability to invade cells.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a novel tug-of-war strategy that efficiently separates individual lanthanides from each other. By combining oil-loving and water-loving ligands, scientists can target specific elements simultaneously, reducing the complexity and cost of conventional separation methods.
Prasanna Balaprakash has been named director of ORNL's Artificial Intelligence Initiative, focusing on developing foundational, scalable, and applied technologies. The initiative aims to advance breakthroughs in materials science, biology, health science, and nuclear engineering using AI and high-performance computing.
Ho Nyung Lee, a condensed matter physicist at ORNL, has been elected a Fellow of the Materials Research Society for his distinguished accomplishments in advancing materials research. He is recognized for his leadership and service to the community, particularly in precision synthesis and complex oxide thin films.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory identified specific proteins that regulate plant-microbe signaling, enabling plants to distinguish beneficial microbes from disease-causing ones. This breakthrough could accelerate gene function identification and improve crop performance in sustainable bioenergy crops.
A team of scientists has designed a molecule that targets the PLpro enzyme in SARS-CoV-2, limiting its replication and hampering the host's immune response. The covalent inhibitor shows promise as a new treatment for COVID-19 and other viral diseases.
Scientists have developed a DNA editing tool called SAGE that makes it easier and faster to engineer microbes for various applications. The technology revolutionizes the process of modifying microbes, allowing researchers to advance fundamental biology and bioengineering.
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed an eco-friendly alternative to rigid foam boards, made without harmful blowing agents, using hollow glass spheres and expandable polymer microspheres. The new material offers improved thermal performance and is adoptable by industry, opening avenues for safer composite foams.
The Center for Bioenergy Innovation has been renewed with $590 million in funding over five years to develop sustainable jet fuel from nonfood biomass crops and specialty processes. The center aims to reach Tier 1 validation of its jet biofuel, reducing carbon dioxide emissions from commercial aircraft.
The Spallation Neutron Source has set a world record by reaching an operating power of 1.55 megawatts, providing more neutrons for researchers studying efficient solar panels, longer-lasting batteries, and stronger materials. This achievement enables new discoveries in materials science research.
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used neutrons to map phason and phonon vibrations in fresnoite crystals. They found that phasons carry heat three times faster than phonons, which may improve the accuracy of simulations for energy materials.
Researchers used a high-performance computer simulation to study the impact of soil subsidence on permafrost thawing in the Arctic tundra. They found that uneven land subsidence leads to a drier landscape, which limits the process's acceleration through the end of the century.
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an affordable technology that removes over 99.9% of acidic gases from natural gas furnaces, producing an ultraclean furnace. This technology can also be applied to other natural gas-driven equipment, reducing emissions and pollution.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered that hydrogen atoms play a crucial role in twisting iron, enabling more efficient chemical reactions. Additionally, the lab has developed technology to reuse old electric vehicle batteries as energy storage systems for the grid, reducing pollution and carbon emissions.
The Celeritas project aims to address the data tsunami from the upgraded LHC, enabling faster particle collisions and more accurate simulations. With graphics processing units and exascale computing, Celeritas will increase data throughput and validate theories of particle physics.
Researchers developed biocomposites from corn stover and switchgrass for 3D printing with satisfactory properties. A national hydropower testing facility network can accelerate innovation and adoption of clean energy technologies. An EV truck stop design enables megawatt-scale charging, reducing carbon emissions.
Scientists discovered that an artificial cell membrane can exhibit long-term potentiation, a hallmark of biological learning and memory, persisting for many hours. This finding has the potential to revolutionize next-generation computing materials and architectures by merging functions of processing and memory in neuromorphic computers.
Researchers at ORNL developed a cleaner, more efficient method for making high-capacity cathode material without cobalt. The new hydrothermal synthesis approach reduces environmental impact and increases production speed.
A team of researchers has developed a framework using blockchain technology to track device communications on the electric grid, detecting anomalies such as data manipulation and spoofing. This approach increases grid resiliency and allows for rapid response to cyberattacks or equipment failures.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered genetic markers for autism, developed recyclable composites to drive the net-zero goal, and created a tool for real-time building evaluation. Additionally, they have made significant progress in growing hydrogen-storage crystals using a novel nano-reactor material.
The US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a massive geographic dataset, USA Structures, using deep learning to forecast potential damage and accelerate emergency response. The dataset provides critical information on building outlines and attributes, enabling FEMA to prioritize response efforts.
Marc-Antoni Racing has licensed patented energy storage technologies from Oak Ridge National Laboratory for fast-charging batteries in electric vehicles. The technologies aim to break the barrier to fast-charging power-dense lithium-ion batteries, reducing vehicle charging time to under 15 minutes.
Researchers have engineered a microbe to break down and upcycle mixed plastics into building blocks for next-generation materials. The process converts deconstructed plastic waste into polyhydroxyalkanoates or beta-ketoadipate, ideal for applications such as automotive parts.