Industrial Technologies Marketing Summaries

Currently, when a patient arrives at the hospital or doctor’s office feeling ill, they are first examined by the doctor, sent to a blood lab where vials of blood are taken, and then sent home to wait for results. This approach often means patients must wait days or weeks, to get results. During that waiting period, they are not receiving treatment, which can be a critical factor for cancer, heart attack, or stroke patients. 

Sandia researchers have developed a break-through... read more

Sandia National Laboratories has created an improved efficiency compact X-ray source to address a wide range of applications.  The high average power large area X-ray tube provides increased X-ray generation efficiency through the use of magnetic steering to reduce the number of electrons that do not contribute to X-ray production.

Recent attention has focused on the preparedness of emergency reponse teams if a terrorist event involving chemical and biological warfare ever occured.  This attention, along with the increased threat to national security, has led to the need for a readily available, easy to use product that would neutralize the adverse effects of these agents.  This new technology addresses the need for a general formulation that neutralizes the effects of either chemical toxants or... 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

The TRU waste screener (TRU-WS) is a multifunctional system for the rapid screening of transuranic material for criticality safety or screening for TRU content in open trays or waste containers.

Engineers at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have invented a new device for retrieving liquid samples.  The dissolution actuated valve sampler was developed to obtain pristine samples while operating without the assistance of a mast or messenger device.

A new software tool enables the easy and quick selection of applicable regulatory guidelines as a starting point for human factors engineering (HFE) analyses.  Once selected, each guideline can be viewed on screen.  The software tracks and reports the status of HFE analyses and may be accessed simultaneously by multiple users.

A researcher at the Savannah River Site has developed an analytical software application to simulate contaminant fate and transport through the vadose zone to groundwater.  VZCOMML© (pronounced Vee-Zee-Com-M-L) is a one-dimensional, three-phase equilibrium, analytical contaminant transport model incorporating mass-balance and time-limit criteria to calculate key fate and transport result output data.  The program automatically uses decision logic to determine the contaminant(s),... read more

Engineers at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have developed a remotely-operated tank cleaning device for precise, high-pressure spray for use in limited access areas.  The device offers features unavailable in tank cleaning technologies currently on the market, providing for better, faster and cost-effective tank cleaning.

A Glass Technologist at the Savannah River National Laboratory has developed a glass condenser apparatus that allows the user to adjust the rate of condensation during testing. The apparatus consists of a fixed condensing coil accompanied by a second, removable coil that fits inside the fixed coil.  Tests have shown increases in condensation rates of up to 24%.

An environmental engineer at the Savannah River Site has developed a software application that will determine if non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminants are present in soil, groundwater, or soil vapor samples.  The software will determine both the quantity and composition of NAPL chemicals in the samples based on the results of sample analysis.  The software also computes important environmental engineering measures such as the residual saturation, mass of the NAPL in the sample,... read more

The Pneumatic Conveyance Device is capable of dislodging, capturing, and conveying solid material, wet or dry, from a depth of 70+ feet, while discharging through a 100+ foot conveyance hose.  The device was developed to remove water and solid material from the annular space between the tank and line of a buried, double-hulled tank.  The device relies on pneumatic “push” technology rather than the “suction” technology that has been traditionally used in... read more

Scientists have developed a groundwater treatment technique that employs agricultural oils to stimulate endogenous microbes which accelerates the cleanup.  The oils tested include canola oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, beef oil, cod-liver oil, tallow, candelilla oil, carnawba wax, beeswax, and palm tree wax.  The system can be configured as either in situ or ex situ.

Today’s vehicles provide feedback to the driver on a wide variety of vehicle or driver characteristics.  Some of the information provided includes: speed, temperatures, tire pressure, radio, GPS, cell phone controls, trip monitors, and fuel consumption.  The majority of the current systems are visual providing data on an already crowded instrument cluster.  In order to realize the benefits of this information, the driver has to consciously take their eyes off the road to... read more

INL’s subsurface science “in situ assessment” methodology provides data for various contaminants in soil and aquifers to augment data in normal laboratory tests that evaluate the efficiency of future and on-going treatments. Prior to this invention soil specimens would be compromised because prior processes did not allow soil samples to maintain their biofilms or structures. This could hinder laboratory testing.

Friction welding that uses a contact rotating tool creates frictional heating of an adjacent work piece. The process employs a mixer where the two pieces touch, an area called the plastic zone, to avoid the undesirable joining (e.g. alloying) of the two work pieces.

This is a guidance system that utilizes GPS and an autonomous control system incorporated into the operating system of industrial and agricultural equipment. Current systems provide an operator with assisted navigation via a satellite position signal. This enables operators to maintain a straight line when driving equipment, thus minimizing “skip” and “overlap.” While this is beneficial, many current systems do not relieve the operator from driving tasks. Current... read more

The INL designed a system that allows for continuous processing of various non equi-dimensional substrates. By using a processing chamber that allows a substrate to pass through, the substrate is exposed to a treatment mixture which consists of a modifying agent combined with a supercritical fluid. On either end of the device are seals which are configured to allow the substrate to pass into and out of the apparatus.

INL has developed a thermal plasma quench to cool the heat generated from rapid chemical reactions, preventing adverse reactions or decompositions to undesirable products.

INL has invented a process for creating energetic materials, including trinitrotoluene (TNT).  By using a carbon dioxide environment, which reduces the amount of acid generated from the nitration reaction (orthonitrotoluene, ONT and dinitrotoluene, DNT). The process uses a surfactant, a nitrating agent, and a source of organic material to be nitrated. 

Controlled engineered coatings are important in many manufacturing processes.  INL’s plasma-spray tool provides a highly control coating operation delivering accurate thicknesses, porosity, crack density, and grain structure. The invention delivers tightly controlled spray pattern shapes and/or spatial distribution of particles. The system also provides a feedback of spatial distribution of particles or spatial parameter characteristics of particles, temperature with this operation,... read more

INL orbital vibrator invention improves determination of rock porosity and permeability in oil recovery operations. It provides accurate data about small rock samples so when they are sent to the laboratory the real properties of the rocks in the oil situ can be determined. Two internal accelerometers mounted within a down hole are employed to measure the acceleration of the device.

INL has invented a new technology for use in an electric percussion hammer drill, which includes a reciprocal moveable hammer that drives a tool bit delivering both reciprocal movement and rotatable movement. The hammer drill deliver exceptional hammer velocity and increased hammer blow frequency with reduced weight.

The use of lasers has become increasingly widespread, especially for manufacturing products and material analysis. Recently, laser desorption (LD) techniques for mass spectrometry have attracted attention because it produces intact molecular ions, avoids surface charging issues, and allows tuning of laser irradiation to accommodate various sample types. LD microprobe mass spectrometers use scanning techniques that rely on manipulation of a sample target.

Migration of contaminants from buried waste sites can be a threat to the safety of groundwater resources.  Ideally, migration of contaminants would be detected as close as possible to the source, minimizing aquifer impact and cleanup costs.  However, monitoring within or beneath waste sites is generally avoided due to the resulting surface contamination created during insertion of traditional monitoring devices.  Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls,... read more

Researchers at ORNL have developed an invisible marking system for textiles and similar products that could save governments and businesses millions in lost revenues and legal fees. In addition to information required by law, useful tracking and inventory information can be embedded in the tags, as well as valuable consumer information on content and point of origin of materials.

Each year unethical units in the enterprise supply chain falsify operational data and business information to avoid... read more

Fabrication of polymers and plastics from naturally renewable feedstocks offers the potential for a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymers. Biomass-derived polymers based on butyrolactones are a potential substitute for petroleum-derived polyacrylic plastics, but methods suitable for large-scale production have been unknown previously.

Researchers at the Colorado State University Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory have developed a complete software package for use with National Instruments’ Labview software. The package can be used with National Instruments hardware to measure conditions inside an engine cylinder. The program can measure and compute pressure, combustion mass, heat released, and other properties in real time.

The invention provides a low cost structural composite alternative for use in typical structural lumber/wood applications in building construction, marine, transportation applications, and the like.

This technology provides an alternate method to synthesize a key type of PVC plasticizer described in US 6,797,753 (see separate description entitled “Plasticizers Derived from Vegetable Oils”).  This approach uses esters of fatty acids as feed materials and more specifically uses methyl esters of vegetable oils that are referred to as “biodiesel” fuels.  One particularly useful biodiesel is soybean oil biodiesel (methyl soyate) that is projected to be a high... read more

A research team led by Dr. Jason Ren of the University of Colorado has developed novel microbial capacitive desalination cell (MCDC) technology for sustainable desalination, renewable energy production, and wastewater treatment solution.

The sterilization of plastic containers for beverage, food and pharmaceutical products is a significant cost to the associated industries.  Currently, plastic containers are sterilized using heat, which necessitates the use of polymers that can withstand the high temperature without degrading or deforming.  These heat resistant polymers have a cost of up to 1.7 times that of comparable lower temperature products.  As such, any improvements in the sterilization process will have a... read more

The HydroSuppressor system was developed to protect critical facilities from the devastating effects of blast from a vehicle bomb.  HydroSuppressor uses high volume water sprays to absorb the energy of the blast as it occurs and is meant to be activated when a suspected threat has been identified.  

The Linear Thermite Charge (LTC) is designed to rapidly cut through concrete and steel structural components by using extremely high temperature thermite reactions jetted through a linear nozzle. 

The transportation sector currently accounts for 70% of petroleum consumption and more than a third of green house gas emissions in the US. Studies have shown that  major reductions in GHG emissions can be accomplished by transitioning to battery powered automobiles. However, the large battery systems required could be problematic due to high cost in combination with limited specific energy, safety issues, as well as limited cycle and calendar life. 

A DC-to-DC converter takes a direct... read more

Polar organic solvents are commonly used in cleaning, reactions, and processing in many industries. Today these solvents are known to be volatile, hazardous to health, toxic in the environment, and flammable, with no comparable alternatives. These toxic attributes make polar organic  solvents very hard to work with, and the harmful effects of these volatile compounds require that expensive procedures, equipment and environmental, health, and safety controls be in place at all times to... 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.

Nanomaterials that are emerging out of cutting edge nanotechnology research are a key component for an energy revolution. Carbon-based nanomaterials are ushering in the “new carbon age” with carbon nanotubes, nanoporous carbons, and graphene nanosheets that will prove necessary to provide sustainable energy applications that lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.

Carbon aerogels (CAs) are nanoporous carbons that comprise a particularly significant class of carbon nanomaterials for... read more

One of the ongoing challenges to improving performance in capacitors and other high-voltage electrical structures is to identify and reduce the factors that cause failure.  High-voltage devices typically fail following excessive partial discharge activity, which is a localized dielectric breakdown that does not transcend the main electrode gap spacing. One type of failure is anticipated to start at a triple junction, the point at which an electrode and two different dielectric materials... read more

The present invention relates to a fluid submersible sensing device and, more particularly, to such a device having sensing structure provided within a fluid-tight housing and an external structure located outside of the fluid-tight housing including a passage through which a fluid sample flows.

Marangoni drying is used in semiconductor processing and  other industries to produce a dry, ultraclean surface on flat substrates.  In the conventional Marangoni drying step, e.g., for semiconductor wafer fab, an alcohol or other volatile organic compound (VOC) vapor is blown through a nozzle over the wet wafer surface or at the meniscus formed between the cleaning liquid and wafer as the wafer is lifted from an immersion bath.  The Marangoni effect causes a surface-tension... read more

All-optical, fiber-optic-coupled remote radiation sensor using NRL’s luminescent, copper-doped quartz material.  The key to the technology is the doped quartz material that produces a luminescence signal that is directly proportional to the radiation dose. Individual sensors have an estimated cost of $50 and a lifespan of decades. The sensor is less than 7 mm in diameter by 10 cm in length and is fiber-optic-coupled to a photodetec-tor that is remotely located away from the... 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.

Scientists at Berkeley Lab have developed a method that reduces the expense of capturing carbon dioxide generated by the combustion of fossil fuels. This technology would allow power plants and the chemical and cement industries to better sequester carbon dioxide and reduce the associated expenses passed on to consumers. The method uses novel promoters that kinetically favor the reactions for CO2 absorption and solvent regeneration.

The MTP chip breaking system is a cost-saving solution for machining operations that create continuous chips. These chips can damage the workpiece or machine tool, pose hazards to the machine operator, complicate cleanup of the work space, and cause operation delays. The MTP chip breaking system creates a significantly safer operating environment and can reduce cleanup, repair and replacement costs.

Infrared (IR) Debonding is a dry, nondestructive method of using heat to separate components joined by adhesives. The method has many permutations, lending itself in separating a myriad of different materials bonded by a wide variety of substances. The technology involves the use of a portable IR apparatus within which debonding is accomplished.

Y-12 invites interested companies to license its patented Powered Protrusion Cutter (PPC), originally designed for the Department of Energy as a portable asbestos cyanide-dipped bolt cutter. The PPC cuts and traps the bolt head to eliminate environmental and safety hazards.

The PPC is a high-powered hydraulic tool that generates up to 5 tons of force on the cutting jaw. An electric trigger placed ergonomically on the handle actuates it. The longer the momentary trigger is held open, the higher... read more

Novel field emission sources using carbon nanotubes have been developed by Berkeley Lab researchers Alex Zettl and Marvin Cohen. The Berkeley Lab technology overcomes problems currently associated with field emission devices (FEDs).

3-hydroxypropionic acid is readily converted to acrylic acid by conversion to the acid salt followed by treatment with a solid oxide dehydration catalyst such as titania or alumina.

The field of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) is a rapidly growing multidisciplinary research area. A long-term goal of this research is to merge microsystems of electrical, mechanical, and magnetic components into low-cost, highly-sophisticated control systems. Ultimately, it is believed that "smart" structures, such as embedded sensors, actuators, and control mechanisms, will be fully integrated into a structure, giving it the ability to sense stimuli and to take an appropriate... read more

Scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have developed a unique in-situ method of immobilizing metal and radionuclide contaminants in soil.  The In-Situ Production of Microbial Pigments for Metal and Actinide Immobilization has been shown to dramatically reduce the mobility of contaminants in the soil over the the long term without the need for excavation.

Scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory have identified a treatment method that slows or prevents the formation of whiskers in lead-free solder.  The current stage of research has shown initial time studies in comparison to a base-line that whisker formation is minimized or almost nonexistent (some hillocks are noted).

Neutron detectors are vital in the national security effort to detect special nuclear material at the hundreds of U.S. ports of entry. Special nuclear material emits neutrons which rarely occur spontaneously, therefore detection can be correlated to the existence of special nuclear matter found in plutonium and plutonium based weapons. Currently, the most common type of neutron detector uses pressurized tubes containing rare Helium-3 gas. This 60 year old instrumentation is bulky, costly, and... read more

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a reusable organic liquid that can pull harmful gases such as carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide out of industrial emissions from power plants. The process could directly replace current methods and allow power plants to capture double the amount of harmful gases in a way that uses no water, less energy, and saves money.

Titania with nanocavities offers improved blocking of light in the ultraviolet range of the electro¬magnetic spectrum. It transmits about 25 percent less light than do traditional bulk titanium dioxide or titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Theoretically, by controlling the size of the nanocavities the transmission of the titania with nanocavities can be four times less than titanium dioxide or titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Semiconducting nanowires rarely develop a protective coating in situ, leaving the surface vulnerable to defects and contaminants. By encapsulating them in the growth chamber with a stable compound, not only is the surface protected from environmental contaminants, but deleterious surface electronic states are minimized.

Semiconducting nanowires rarely develop a protective coating in situ, leaving the surface vulnerable to defects and contaminants. By encapsulating them in the growth chamber with a stable compound, not only is the surface protected from environmental contaminants, but deleterious surface electronic states are minimized.

Graphene has very interesting properties due to its electronic structure. For example, its thermal and electrical conductivities are extremely high and it is one of the strongest materials known. Making single layers of it, however, is challenging. This method of fabrication yields large area (square micrometer) regions of single-layer graphene produced on ruthenium surfaces. The monolayer graphene also conforms to patterns in a substrate.

A zeptoliter is a volume of 1000 cubic nanometers, or that of a cube 10 nm on a side. Structures of this size may display size-dependent properties. They are interesting for their properties and as objects of scientific study. Until now there was no way to reliably dispense such volumes. The zeptoliter pipette can be used to dispense nanodroplets for use as seeds for bottom-up assembly of nanostructures, or for study of the properties of fluids.

Homogeneous catalysts are usually more selective than heterogeneous catalysts, but they are often difficult to recycle. This organometallic complex containing molybdenum or tungsten and not containing a precious metal can be used to catalyze the hydrogenation and/or hydrosilylation of an organic compound. At the end of the reaction, the molybdenum or tungsten precipitates and can be recovered. Mild process conditions can be used to generate the catalyst, in line with the objectives of... read more

Homogeneous catalysts are usually more selective than heterogeneous catalysts, but they are often difficult to recycle. This organometallic complex containing molybdenum or tungsten and not containing a precious metal can be used to catalyze the hydrogenation and/or hydrosilylation of an organic compound. At the end of the reaction, the molybdenum or tungsten precipitates and can be recovered. Mild process conditions can be used to generate the catalyst, in line with the objectives of... read more

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

Heavy metal contamination is a serious issue both in wastewater and in industrial solutions. By passing a solution contaminated with low to medium concentrations of heavy metals through an electroreactor and applying pulsed three-phase current to its electrode stacks, the heavy metal contaminants are separated for removal. The method is particularly useful for removal of chromium-VI.

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

A previously unidentified metastable phase of a superconductive oxide exhibits high critical current density and irreversible magnetic field. This phase is stabilized by the use of a catalytically active substrate, CeO. The superconductor's performance is relatively insensitive to grain boundary misorientation. This second generation (2G) superconductor has a high critical temperature, high critical current and high irreversible magnetic field. Its performance is less dependent on grain... read more

During production, nanostructures are often capped by surfactants or other capping agents to keep them from agglomerating. These moieties often interfere with the properties of the nanostructures, and must be removed before further processing can occur. This technology is directed toward removing even strongly adsorbed surfactants and capping agents from metal, metal alloy, and core-shell nanostructures without damaging the nanostructure surface, facilitating their applications in... read more