New 3-D printed polymer can convert methane to methanol

17-Jun-2016 - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists have combined biology and 3-D printing to create the first reactor that can continuously produce methanol from methane at room temperature and pressure. The team removed enzymes from methanotrophs, bacteria that eat methane, and mixed them with ...

These space rocks could save the planet

12-May-2016 - The box was inconspicuous, but Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) postdoctoral researcher Megan Bruck Syal immediately knew its contents: two meteorites around the size of walnuts. They formed about 4.6 billion years ago and survived a history of violent collisions in the asteroid belt ...

New paper examines hydrogen at high pressure

19-Apr-2016 - Hydrogen is the most abundant element found in the universe, making up nearly three-quarters of all matter. Despite its prevalence, questions about the element remain. In a new paper published by Nature Communications, a team of researchers, including scientists from Lawrence Livermore National ...

New explosion gas-signature models can help locate and identify underground nuclear tests

18-Mar-2016 - Through experiments and computer models of gas releases, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists have simulated signatures of gases from underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) that may be carried by winds far from the detonation. The work will help international inspectors locate and ...

Team may have a key solution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions

08-Jan-2016 - Meeting the Paris Climate Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the global average temperature to well below two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels will require increased use of renewable energy and reducing the CO2 intensity of fossil energy use. The intermittency of when the ...

Using hydrogen to enhance lithium ion batteries

Lithium ion batteries operate longer and faster when treated with hydrogen.

09-Nov-2015 - Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are a class of rechargeable battery types in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging. The growing demand for energy storage emphasizes the urgent need for higher-performance batteries. ...

Lab scientists discover five new nuclei

29-Oct-2015 - Lawrence Livermore scientists, in conjunction with international researchers, have discovered five new atomic nuclei to be added the chart of nuclides. The study, conducted this fall, focuses on developing new methods of synthesis for super heavy elements. The newly discovered, exotic nuclei are ...

It's solid: Storing hydrogen in a new form

12-Oct-2015 - As part of a tri-lab consortium, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers will develop tools and understanding necessary for designing new solid-state materials for storing hydrogen gas. Storage of hydrogen onboard vehicles is one of the critical enabling technologies for ...

Nanoelectronics could get a boost from carbon research

21-Sep-2015 - Scientists have investigated a way to create linear chains of carbon atoms from laser-melted graphite. The material, called carbyne, could have a number of novel properties, including the ability to adjust the amount of electrical current traveling through a circuit, depending on the user's ...

Lawrence Livermore National Lab to explore spectral imaging to detect moisture in solar cells

18-Sep-2015 - A Lawrence Livermore National Lab engineer has been awarded $570,000 through the Department of Energy SunShot Initiative to explore spectroscopic technology as a means of detecting moisture buildup in solar photovoltaic cells. Over the next two years, Mihail Bora, a Materials Engineering Division ...