Laser treatment, bonding potential road to success for carbon fiber

Automated metrology system for Pu 238

Under a collaborative partnership between the NASA and DOE, a new automated measurement system developed ORNL will ensure quality production of plutonium-238 while reducing handling by workers. NASA has funded ORNL and other national laboratories to develop a process that will restore US pr ... more

3D-printed permanent magnets outperform conventional versions, conserve rare materials

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated that permanent magnets produced by additive manufacturing can outperform bonded magnets made using traditional techniques while conserving critical materials. The project is part of DOE’s Critical Mate ... more

Nano-spike catalysts convert carbon dioxide directly into ethanol

In a new twist to waste-to-fuel technology, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an electrochemical process that uses tiny spikes of carbon and copper to turn carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into ethanol. Their finding, which involves nanof ... more

Graphene forms under microscope's eye

You don't need a big laser to make laser-induced graphene (LIG). Scientists at Rice University, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT Knoxville) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are using a very small visible beam to burn the foamy form of carbon into microscopic patterns. The ... more

Neutrons optimize high efficiency catalyst for greener approach to biofuel synthesis

Researchers led by the University of Manchester have designed a catalyst that converts biomass into fuel sources with remarkably high efficiency and offers new possibilities for manufacturing advanced renewable materials. Neutron scattering experiments at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridg ... more

120-kilowatt wireless charging for vehicles demonstrated

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a 120-kilowatt wireless charging system for vehicles - providing six times the power of previous ORNL technology and a big step toward charging times that rival the speed and convenience of a gas stati ... more