Separations & Materials Research Group
Separations and Materials Research is a unique group within the Energy and Engineering Science Directorate and the Nuclear Science and Technology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Our chemists and chemical engineers conduct basic and applied research on a variety of crosscutting topics to create transformational solutions for energy and other U.S. needs related to environment, security, and national competitiveness.
Our sponsors within the US Department of Energy include multiple programs of the Office of Science and several DOE mission offices, including the Offices of Nuclear Energy, Fossil Energy, and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. In addition, we conduct work for external sponsors, including industry and other federal agencies.
Current tecnical areas include:
- Modeling and simulation of chemical and nuclear applications
- Process intensification
- Nanostructured materials for fuel cells, solar cells, and energy storage
- Nanomanufacturing
- Alternative fuels and chemical feedstocks
- Cementitious materials for advanced building concepts and waste storage
- Gas hydrates research for energy production and carbon sequestration
- Ionic liquid solvents for chemical processes and radiochemical separations
We actively collaborate with researchers in industry, academia, and other national laboratories. Several group members are adjunct faculty and/or joint faculty at universities, and we host a large number of students and guest researchers each year to work in our laboratories.