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© 2004
Ames Laboratory
111 TASF
Ames, IA 50011-3020
(515) 294-9557
Updated
February 5, 2008
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AMES
LABORATORY HISTORY
Ames Laboratory
was formally established in 1947 by the Atomic Energy Commission
as a result of the Ames Project's successful development of
the most efficient process to produce high-purity uranium metal
in large quantities for atomic energy. Today, Ames Laboratory
pursues a broad range of priorities in chemical, materials,
engineering, environmental, mathematical and physical sciences.
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How
the Laboratory Began
After the
discovery of nuclear fission in 1939, the U.S. government decided
that the development of atomic energy warranted a consolidated national
effort and asked leading scientists to join in the endeavor. In 1942,
Iowa State College's Frank H. Spedding, an expert in the chemistry
of rare earths, agreed to set up and direct a chemical research and
development program to accompany the Manhattan Project's existing
physics program.
Nobel Physicist
Enrico Fermi was sure a self-sustaining chain reaction could
be triggered by bombarding the uranium nucleus with thermal neutrons.
For the chain reaction to be successful, tons of uranium metal
needed to be produced with a purity far beyond what was commercially
available.
Several industries
and university laboratories started investigating better methods
for producing uranium metal. The Ames' group, led by Harley A.
Wilhelm, soon developed a process for producing pure uranium,
making it possible to cast large ingots of the metal at dramatically
reduced costs.
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The
first successful self-sustaining chain reaction initiating
the controlled release of nuclear energy occurred Dec. 2, 1942,
in the squash court under the west stands of Stagg Field at
the University of Chicago. The Ames Project furnished one-third
of the uranium metal used in the successful demonstration of
the first chain-reacting pile.
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After
proving that a chain reaction could be self-sustained and controlled,
the need for pure uranium greatly increased. The Ames Project
produced as much metal as possible until industry took over
the process in 1945. The Ames Project developed new methods
for both melting and casting uranium metal, making it possible
to cast large ingots of the metal and reduce production costs
by as much as twenty-fold. This uranium production process
is still used today. Ames produced more than 2 million pounds
(1,000 tons) of uranium for the Manhattan Project, advancing
wartime efforts to uncover the secrets of atomic power and
protect national security.
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The
Ames Project received the Army/Navy E Flag for Excellence in
Production on Oct. 12, 1945, signifying two-and-a-half years
of excellence in industrial production of metallic uranium
as a vital war material. Iowa State is unique among educational
institutions to have received this award for outstanding service,
an honor normally given to industry. Ames Lab
has broadened its scope beyond materials research over the
years. Examples of specific projects include: |
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Ames
Lab has broadened its scope beyond materials research over the
years. Examples of specific projects include: world-class fundamental
photosynthesis studies to help in the design of synthetic molecules
for direct solar energy conversion; development of a remote-controlled
analysis system that will acquire and analyze samples from hazardous
waste sites at greatly reduced risk and cost; research to break
free of traditional programming methods and harness the power
of the most advanced computing systems available for scientists
unlocking the secrets of revolutionary new materials like superconductors,
fullerenes and quasicrystals; and the synthesis and study of
nontraditional materials such as organic polymers and organometallic
materials to serve as novel semiconductors, processable preceramics
and nonlinear optical systems.
For more photos and history, go to the 60th Anniversary Web site. |
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