Argonne National Laboratory Technology Marketing Summaries

Fuel cells are an important component in the energy industry, but the high cost of producing the platinum catalyst—an essential part of a fuel cell—has historically kept fuel cells from being commercially viable. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have devised a process for creating a “nanosegregated” platinum alloy catalyst with significantly enhanced properties, making it cost-effective and highly attractive for use in fuel cells.

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have created a process by which amorphous and nanophase pharmaceutical compounds can be synthesized without the use of a container, thus avoiding potential contamination. The process involves acoustic levitation—that is, a technique in which an object is suspended through pressure created by intense sound waves—to form molecular gels and amorphous solids. The method is expected to help pharmaceutical manufacturers create drugs that dissolve... read more

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have created a method to produce biofuels from agricultural feedstocks. The method combines both engineered and natural photosynthetic materials to generate the fuel, which can be used directly or mixed with other fuels without further refining. This method may provide a means to affordably and efficiently produce biofuels that will reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels.

Nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions pose risks to human health, and so they need to be reduced. One very effective tool for reducing engine in-cylinder temperature and, hence NO_x emissions (NO_x is a strong function of temperature), is Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). However, EGR has a number of inherent disadvantages that limit its long-term benefits: combustion contamination, greater control system complexity, application variability, materials and durability, decreased fuel economy, lubricant... read more

Devices for radioactive source detection exist but their capabilities and their precision is limited. There are currently no systems which integrate signals from multiple sensors or which provide directional information or discrete source location information. In addition, current systems allow a target to know that they are being tracked.

Present-day devices tend to have a limited range of geometrical configurations in which they can be deployed. Generally, they must be deployed in a single... read more

Highly specialized electronic devices operate today by virtue of printed circuit boards embedded with dozens of tiny components. The highest-performing, most reliable devices depend on non-conductive oxide films overlaid onto a copper substrate. An Argonne team has devised a unique processing method for fabricating dense ceramic films on copper foils used in these devices.

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a coating process for cathodes that improves their electrical conductivity. This procedure, which uses carbon precursors, has proved superior to conventional methods that involve high temperatures and other extremes during the manufacturing process.

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a process to modify the surface of the active material used in lithium-ion batteries. The modification agent can be a silane, an organometallic compound, or a mixture of two or more of such compounds. Both negative and positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries can be made from the surface-modified active materials. Surface modification can be accomplished by either (1) adding the agent to a non-aqueous electrolyte used in constructing a battery or... read more

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have created innovations in the design and fabrication of radio frequency (RF) cavities that improve acceleration of high energy particles: a “cage cavity” that improves cavity performance over solid wall cavities in several ways. The cage cavity improves the vacuum property, reduces power losses due to higher order resonances in the cavity, and allows use of superconducting films instead of bulk metals. Most importantly, the cage cavity is... read more

Strontium-90 (Sr-90), a radioactive isotope, is a carcinogen that can be released into the atmosphere and human exposure can occur through nuclear weapons and accidents. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have created a new and improved detection method that provides more rapid and accurate identification of Sr-90 in urine samples.

To help improve the stability and safety of lithium-ion batteries, Argonne researchers have developed a new intermetallic structure type that can be used for the battery’s negative electrode. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have become the battery of choice for everything from cell phones to electric cars, but there is still much room for improvement. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory are leading efforts to revolutionize battery technology with the design and development of new... read more

Lithography is widely used for defining patterns with high spatial resolution. In most applications of this technique, a thin-film polymeric resist material coating the substrate is patterned using light, electrons, or self-assembly. This resist film defines the pattern to be etched into the substrate. For the resist to function properly, the masking portion of the resist must be able to withstand deep plasma etching of the substrate, even though the resist itself must be relatively thin to... read more

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a low-cost process that accelerates biological methane production rates at least fivefold — the Enhanced Renewable Methane Production System. The system could enhance biological methane production at wastewater treatment plants, farms, and landfills.  This system addresses one of the largest barriers to the expansion of renewable methane — the naturally slow rate of production. To overcome this challenge, Argonne... read more

Fuel cells work by using a highly efficient electrochemical oxidation process to convert the chemical energy in hydrogen to electric power and heat. Because hydrogen does not occur freely in nature, it must be produced from water or hydrogen-rich fuels. The energy for the hydrogen-production reaction is derived from the fuel or a renewable source (e.g., wind, solar, geothermal). The challenge is to develop a fuel processor that is effective, efficient, and marketable. Argonne National... read more

The ability to tailor medical patches and capsules at the molecular level offers a game-changing approach to medical treatment and drug delivery. With each molecule positioned for optimal effectiveness, patches and capsules can be improved and customized for a variety of purposes.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are a critical technology for many applications, including consumer electronics and electric vehicles. As the demand for hybrid and electric vehicles continues to grow, so does the demand for lithium-ion batteries that are safer, more powerful, and less expensive. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory are leading efforts to revolutionize battery technology with the design and development of new battery materials for electrodes, electrolytes, and interfaces... read more

Magnetic nanoparticles and their broad array of properties are enabling scientists to develop increasingly sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective biological sensors. The sensors promise an array of applications as wide-ranging as the discovery of a new drug or remote detection of toxins or contaminants in air or water.

Argonne researchers have developed a unique application of technology that involves using metal oxide semiconductor nanoparticles to target and control biological molecules. This approach promises to fuel medical breakthroughs in many areas, including the treatment of disease, in vivo gene surgery, and cellular drug delivery.

Cell membranes serve as the biological structure through which an organism interacts with its environment. Making up the cell membrane are numerous proteins responsible for many processes including nutrient uptake, excreting metabolic waste, and responding to external stimuli.

Because of their unique properties, membrane proteins are difficult to isolate and purify. Most existing systems for expressing heterologous membrane proteins are either costly or suffer from various disadvantages.... read more

Typically, cancer patients who require radiation therapy may experience an array of side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, or changes in the skin.  In addition, the x-ray treatment is linked to secondary cancers.  Recently misaligned x-ray treatment systems have caused illnesses—and even death.   This groundbreaking innovation in radiation therapy provides successful, cost-effective radiation without the limitations of conventional treatment. The innovation,... read more

Because they grow more quickly than healthy cells, cancer cells are typically a few degrees higher in temperature. This attribute makes it possible to detect cancer cells through thermal imaging. In active thermal imaging, heat or cold is applied to an object and an infrared camera is used to observe the resulting temperature change. For this reason, thermal imaging is helpful in detecting breast cancer and determining skin damage as a result of radiation cancer treatment.

A recent advance in... read more

Epilepsy, a seizure disorder, affects nearly 3 million people in the United States and 50 million worldwide. Although medication can help treat epilepsy, it has not eliminated seizures for all who live with the condition. Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory—together with researchers from Flint Hills Scientific, LLC, and Biofil, Sarov, Russia—have developed an advanced brain implant system that finds and stops seizures before they happen. This innovation offers... read more

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a system that can remove radioactive cesium contamination from porous structures, such as brick and concrete, which are notoriously hard to clean, as well as contamination from metal surfaces.

The “Supergel” system focuses on rapid response—capturing as much of the contamination as possible, as quickly as possible, and filling a technology gap immediately.

Since the performance of Li-ion batteries is largely predicated on the cathode performance in the cell, improvements to lower the irreversibility capacity loss on the first cycle, increase the rate capability, and improve structural stability at high voltages in the cathode are needed.  The objective is to synthesize and make new materials to address these issues.  High-energy density Li-ion batteries available in the market today have low power and progressively lose their energy due... read more

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a way to make commercially viable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles that are safer, will last longer, and cost less than current Li-ion batteries. Argonne researchers, Drs. Khalil Amine and Zonghai Chen, accomplished this goal by making only a small change to the Li-ion chemistry. The scientists are testing a new molecule based on boron and fluorine as an additive in the electrolyte of... read more

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a resin wafer electrodeionization technology for processing biomass-based feedstocks into biofuels and chemicals. The new technology reduces the cost of producing clean energy and of the chemicals and process water used in industry.

Argonne, in collaboration with Ohio State University, has developed a compact, bi-functional NO_x/O₂ sensor with metal/metal oxide internal reference electrode for high-temperature applications. The O₂ sensor is a previously developed zirconia O₂ sensor with a sealed metal/metal oxide internal reference. The oxygen sensor does not need external air supply to operate and is less expensive than conventional technology. Combination sensors such as these are needed in combustion optimization... read more

Argonne National Laboratory is developing water and ethylene glycol/water-based dispersions of nanoparticles for use as the heat transfer fluid (HTF) in liquid cooling systems. The addition of nanoparticles increases the thermal conductivity of liquids, enabling more efficient heat transfer in liquid cooling systems. 

Ethylene is currently produced by pyrolysis of ethane in the presence of steam. This reaction requires substantial energy input, and the equilibrium conversion is thermodynamically limited. The reaction also produces significant amounts of greenhouse gases (CO and CO₂) because of the direct contact between carbon and steam. Argonne has demonstrated a new way to make ethylene via ethane dehydrogenation using a dense hydrogen transport membrane (HTM) to drive the unfavorable equilibrium... read more

Plastics products—such as grocery bags, packaging foam, plates, and cups—are lightweight, strong, and inexpensive to produce. However, because these products are not biodegradable, they collect in landfills, litter the environment, and present a long-term environmental problem. Through a new process developed by an Argonne scientist Vilas Pol, a wide range of waste plastics can be converted into a fine black carbon powder or carbon nanotubes. This carbon-based substance has numerous... read more

Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, other federal agencies, and industry sponsors, Argonne is providing broad-based scientific and engineering expertise to create analytical software tools that will enable the United States to make substantive enhancements in energy efficiency and serve the growing demand for renewable energy.

Argonne National Laboratory and partner Northwestern University have invented a nanostructured photovoltaic device that allows dramatic cost savings of up to 70% compared to crystalline silicon solar cells.  Photovoltaic manufacturing is an emerging industry that promises a carbon-free, nearly limitless source of energy for our nation.  However, the high-temperature manufacturing of conventional silicon-based photovoltaics is extremely energy-intensive.  The nanostructured... read more