Industrial Technologies Marketing Summaries

The Access Rate Control System (ARCS) system is a fully mechanical, ready-to-install kit that controls the speed of a person’s entry through full-height turnstiles. The faster the entry speed, the more resistance is generated by ARCS on the rotor to slow the operator.

At a preset normal entry speed, the operator can pass through with minimal rotor force, and ARCS freewheels on exit. All internal components are furnished in a weather-protected steel housing. This low-cost kit can... read more

The Extrans Permeation Measurement System is a customizable system for testing the behavior and uniformity of polymers and other materials. The system can be used to determine permeation rates using variable temperatures, total pressures, differential pressures, and mechanical deformations as well as adjustable concentration levels for gases and liquids. Extrans supports permeation testing from liquid-to-gas or from gas-to-gas phases.

The Tropexx Blending System is a high-resolution blending system that works with gases, vapors and volatile (readily vaporizable) liquids in addition to moisture.

Tropexx can be used to check instrument calibration by substantiating, within parts per million, the accuracy of instrument readings. It also is a high-precision laboratory tool for blending gases and vapors for application in corrosion and material evaluation studies.

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.

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.

Sandia National Labs has expanded upon research into microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors and created a silicon-based device with greater sensitivity than the current state-of-the-art with adaptability for detection of general particles/radiation.

Sandia National Laboratories has been working on the forefront of microfluidics device and component development for over twenty years and has amassed a sizable patent portfolio, a portion of which is now available for licensing as a bundle of 50+ patents for one simple fee. To further Sandia’s goal of disseminating and transferring taxpayer-funded technology into the private sector, this bundle is offered for non-exclusive licensing with an up-front fee of $25,000 and nominal periodic... read more

Building on decades of portable chemical analysis research, Sandia’s latest chemical detector, based on our miniaturized pulse-discharged ionization detector (mini-PDID), makes it possible to diagnose illnesses by identifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with certain diseases and infections on a patient’s breath or in the headspace of biological fluids. The Sandia system consists of a microfabricated sample preconcentrator, micro gas chromatography columns, and a... read more

Ultrasonic testing is a nondestructive inspection (NDI) technique that utilizes ultra-high frequency sound to detect flaws within a part of interest. A fluid (e.g. water or gel) is used to achieve high coupling between the transducer and part under inspection. Typical probe holders (i.e. shoes) hold the ultrasonic probe at a fixed distance from the inspected part, which can lead to signals that are masked by harmonics and undesirable reflections in the part. Researchers at Sandia National... read more

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

The first phase of this project is capture and encapsulation which is achieved by using nanoporous alumina to confine gaseous iodine, for example, from fission or waste processing. The captured iodine is then reacted with silver or copper to form precipitates inside the nanopores of the material (the fixation). The material is then mixed with glass-forming constituents which are then heated to seal and encapsulate the waste forms.

As uranium mining continues to grow in the United States, so does the concerns over its environmental impact. An approach that may alleviate some of these problems may be in situ recovery (ISR) of uranium which involves circulating reactive fluids through an underground uranium deposit. These fluids contain chemical agents that dissolve the ore so uranium can be recovered once the fluid is pumped back to the surface. New and more stringent standards of uranium traces in drinking water are... read more

Sandia has developed red-emitting phosphors that will help to transform the cold blue of many current light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into the warm white that is preferred for general lighting. This advance could help move solid-state lighting (SSL) into broader applications and market spaces. This class of rare-earth doped tantalates has unprecedented compositions and structures as well as excellent characteristics for a red-phosphor component for blue or UV excitation. Some compositions and... read more

The Sandia wave reflector is a magnetic conductor for wireless transmissions near 433 MHz. The device reflects perpendicular electromagnetic waves in-phase and suppresses surface waves resulting in improved gain performance and effective operation regardless of physical placement.

In a conventional CPU cooler, the heat transfer bottleneck is the boundary layer of "dead air" that clings to the cooling fins.  This insulating layer is largely unaffected by the impinging airflow generated by the fan.  The radically different approach described herein overcomes this thermal bottleneck, generating a several-fold improvement in cooling performance in a device that is smaller, quieter, and immune to clogging by dust. 

Extreme temperatures are vital to scientific and industrial processes such as cryogenics, metallurgy, tempering, and tribology. However, sciences and processes such as these are inherently dangerous. Furthermore, experimenting with extreme high and low temperatures can be difficult due to lack of accuracy and efficiency. To address these issues, engineers at Sandia have developed the In-Situ Cryogenic Moderate Temperature Controlled Rapid Aging Heater (Cryogenic Heating Stage) to incorporate... read more

Ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS) is commonly used for security and military purposes in the detection of explosives and drugs. Commercially available IMS devices utilize stacked electrode tubes which are ill suited for portable field use. Components of these stacked electrode tubes are difficult and time consuming to produce, are prone to breaking, and require thicker walls for mechanical stability and noise reduction. Sandia National Laboratories has developed an alternative that is compact,... read more

High Energy Density (HED) physics and inertial confinement fusion experiments rely on successively monitored images for data collection. Currently, gated X-ray imaging and spectroscopy in the 0.1-10 nanosecond (ns) time scale in HED physics utilize Micro-Channel Plate (MCP) detectors. Unfortunately, MCP detectors suffer from small to moderate dynamic range, difficulty in calibration, and can only capture a single frame along each line of site. HED experiments carried out at Sandia’s... read more

Thin films and membranes are used in a number of commercial applications, including energy products (e.g. photovoltaics, batteries, and fuel cells) and separation processes (e.g. pervaporation, reverse osmosis, dialysis, etc.). According to the 2016 BCC report titled “Global Markets, Technologies and Materials for Thin and Ultrathin Films”, the market for thin films is expected to rise from the 2015 global demand of US $9.8 billion at an annual rate of 3%. In order to meet this... read more

Sandia National Laboratories has developed a novel tool that allows users to qualify small diameter bearings before incorporating them into components. Sandia’s High Sensitivity, Environmentally Isolated Bearing Tester was developed to measure the coupled torsional loss resulting from rotation of the inner race of a small diameter bearing. It is up to 20x more sensitive than commercially available bearing testers and comes with a suite of software that allows users to conduct testing... read more

The Xilinx Virtex-5QV is a field programmable gate array (FPGA) designed for use in space applications. Despite radiation hardening of this particular FPGA, single-event upsets still occasionally corrupt the configuration memory of the device, requiring the use of a “scrubber” to correct these upset bits. Though scrubbing has historically required a separate external device, Sandia Labs developed a “self-scrubber” that scrubs the configuration memory of the same... read more

Local Exhaust Ventilations (LEV) are vital engineering control systems used to prevent exposure to harmful airborne contaminants in the workplace. When fumes are produced, LEV systems produce enough suction to remove them, however, Current LEV systems function at constant rates, providing the same amount of suction at all times. As a result, LEVs have a low rate of efficiency and a high rate of energy consumption. To address this problem, Sandia engineers developed the Variable Flow Exhaust... read more

Laser combs are increasingly used to provide precision measurements. Typical frequency comb systems use nonlinear elements, distinct from the laser gain media, to create a set of emission lines with equally spaced frequencies. Separate detectors and/or frequency mixing elements are needed to lock the comb and determine the absolute frequencies of the emission lines. As a result, these systems can be extremely large and expensive.

Drilling costs amount to over half of the total cost of geothermal energy production. To address the high cost of well construction, Sandia engineers are developing a high temperature downhole motor that provides a high-power downhole rotation solution for directional drilling. Commercially available downhole motors, such as Positive Displacement Motors (PDM), rely on elastomeric material, limiting operations to approximately 350°F or less, making them unreliable for extended use in... read more

End-of-life electronic devices such as smart phones, computers, televisions and other electronics contain significant amounts of valuable metals including base metals (zinc, tin, lead, nickel and copper) as well as precious metals (silver, gold and palladium) along with rare earth magnets (neodymium, yttrium, samarium). Some electronic scrap is currently landfilled or incinerated and there is a need to develop more effective processes to capture these valuable metals along with keeping them... read more

When installing new versions of Java, preexisting versions remain on your system, presenting significant security risks. Currently available Java cleanup tools are web-based, ignore installations of the Java Development Kit (JDK), detect only those Java versions installed by the Java installer, and do not provide mechanisms to restore deleted Java versions.

Early detection of fatigue damage from repeated cyclic loading is critical to ensuring the safety and reliability of aircraft, rotorcraft and many civil structures. This damage typically initiates under the head of the fastener and emanates outward over time. Conventional eddy current probes, such as pencil or ring probes, cannot detect cracks until after they extend out from under the fastener heads. Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed an eddy current probe that... read more

Nanocrystalline iron nitride is an important soft magnetic material; however, conventional methods of production don’t exist. Synthesis of dense nanocrystalline iron nitrides is not possible by simply annealing elemental iron in NH₃ at temperatures in excess of 600° C since γ’-Fe₄N and other iron nitrides are unstable above 600°C and will decompose. Sandia researchers have discovered that by using a two-step reactive milling process and high pressure spark plasma... read more

Pure molecular oxygen is important to many industrial processes such as oxy-fuel combustion, steel production, on-board oxygen generation in military aircraft and medical oxygen concentrators. Industrial-scale oxygen separation is conventionally carried out by cryogenic air separation. Cryogenic air separation produces high quality O₂ (99% oxygen purity), however, it is energy intensive, expensive and requires large housing facilities. A competing technology, pressure swing adsorption (PSA),... read more

This invention discloses a method to fabricate a product that has the potential to replace asbestos, which harbors health and environmental risks, with magnesium silicate-based mineral wools. The mineral wool product yields advantages similar to asbestos while eliminating its inherent detriments.

This technology allows for optimal CO₂ removal capacity for a given absorption and regeneration reactor size. Management of water loading in this manner allows optimal operation of the regeneration reactor with a significant reduction in energy losses incurred by the desorption of adsorbed water.

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A computational approach has been developed to improve the homogenization heat treatment of solid substitutional alloys. The method utilizes computational thermodynamics to determine a stepped approach to achieve optimal homogenization of the metal alloy, resulting in improved materials and processing costs. In addition, the approach allows the homogenization process to be ‘tuned’ for the intended use of the alloy. This technology is available for licensing and/or further... read more

This patent application discloses a novel method to simultaneously track the motion of high numbers of object images under extreme, high concen-tration conditions. Although the software is designed to simultaneously track large numbers of particle images in flow fields, it can track any type of object whose locations are available at consecutive time increments (e.g., consecutive video frames).

The current invention describes methods to control slag chemistry for both the reduction of slag viscosity and refractory wear in gasification systems. Application of this methodology to control slag chemistry will minimize refractory corrosion caused by carbon feedstocks containing petcoke and allow for the use of non-high chrome oxide refractory materials.

This device can measure subsurface gases, liquids, and solids at subsurface conditions. Atomic identification and concentration measurements can be made on solids, liquids, and gases at down hole pressure and temperature conditions.

Semiconductor wafers are used for a variety of purposes in microelectronics, solar cell, and other industries. Wafer quality often depends on variables such as thickness and surface characteristics. Poor quality wafers may have uneven thickness or uneven surface characteristics; whereas, higher quality wafers will have substantially more uniform thickness and substantially more uniform surface characteristics. Wafer quality can dramatically influence the mechanical and/or electronic yield of... read more

Energy sources such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal in machines and equipment can be hazardous to workers because there is a chance of unexpected energization. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has standardized lockout/tagout procedures to prevent the unexpected startup or release of stored energy during the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. However, there is a need to make following these procedures... read more

The present invention comprises a method of automatic characterization of electrospun nanofiber assemblies. The novel system uses existing edge detection algorithms with a Hough transform to recognize and measure each fiber orientation angle and diameter for assembly characterization.

Silicon Nanocrystal Deposition

A method to deposit colloidal silicon nanocrystal thin films using a liquid-phase process has been developed. The method lowers costs because the films are deposited unfunctionalized (no insulating ligand termination). The process allows for precise control of the size of the crystals; giving rise to control over the size dependent optical properties of the product. This is essential in applications such as photovoltaic solar cells, photodetectors, light... read more

Superior Catalytic and Molecular Sieve Applications

A method has been developed to synthesize zeolites in a lamellar morphology with thinner layers than can be produced using alternative techniques. The zeolites are produced at lower cost than alternative methods and can be used as catalysts, as coatings for molecular sieve membranes and as low-dielectric constant materials in electronic applications.

Zeolite Nanosheet Membranes for use as a Molecular Sieve

A method of zeolite membrane fabrication that gives high aspect ratio nanosheets with high purity and precise pore structure has been developed. When combined with other technologies created by the research group, such as structure preservation, oriented growth and rapid thermal processing, zeolite membranes can be fabricated that have high flux and highly selectivity using a simple and scalable process. The process allows for thin... read more

A user interface for the teleoperation of a robotic hand. The user interface conducts a calibration procedure to determine a user’s applicable physiological dimensions and applies the physiological dimensions and a specific fingertip location to treat the user’s finger as a two link three degree-of-freedom serial linkage, in order to determine angles of interest through reverse kinematics. The user interface communicates the angles of interest to a gripping-type end effector... read more

A heat transfer device utilizing a central fluid channel to service multiple heat loads in a manner maximizing heat transfer fin efficiency. Heat transfer pins are arranged around the central fluid channel with a flow space provided between adjacent pins, allowing for some portion of cooling flow to divert through the flow space. The arrangement reduces the pressure drop of the flow through the fins, optimizes average heat transfer coefficients, reduces contact and fin-pin resistances, and... read more

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have created a special radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch based on ultra nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) as a dielectric that promises a next generation of military and commercial communication systems with enhanced capabilities. Integrated with a CMOS driving device, the switch enables the simultaneous handling of data, voice, audio, and video while supporting many RF systems operating across a broad range of frequency... read more

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 battery materials for electrolytes, electrodes, and interfaces that will increase the specific energy of advanced batteries, while simultaneously providing enhanced stability at a lower cost. To... read more

The present invention provides a process for the treatment of mercury containing waste in a single reaction vessel. The process is effective in treating various types of mercury contaminated waste; such as elemental mercury or mercury compounds, mercury contaminated bulk material, or mercury contaminated debris. The process is also effective for the treatment of mercury containing waste that also contains radionuclides, i.e. mixed wastes.

Low resistance splices are needed to join high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials in order to fabricate large-scale magnets for example, for accelerator, energy storage and medical applications. If the splice resistance is too high, the thermal, mechanical and electrical properties stability of the magnets can deteriorate leading to unnecessary power loss and distortion of the magnetic field. Thus, a novel method to prepare ultra-low resistance HTS splices was developed.

Fatty acids (oils) from the seeds of oilseed crops such as soybeans, sunflower and etc. are processed into vegetable oil for consumption and food preparation. Seeds of other plants naturally contain specialty fatty acids, called "modified fatty acids" ("mFAs"), that are useful as chemical feedstocks, replacing chemicals otherwise obtained from petroleum. Unfortunately seeds of these plants are not amenable to being grown and harvested in commercially relevant amounts.... read more

This invention comprises an atmospheric radar apparatus and a method for measuring a meteorological or other type of variable of a target having reflection symmetry without bias caused by coherent antenna cross-polar coupling in the atmospheric radar signals.

Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) offers an attractive alternative to chemical and electromechanical energy storage. This grid-enabling switch can maintain a large ratio of the stored energy to the static energy loss in the SMES and has the ability to by-pass the current through a fast, high-voltage superconducting switch. Strategic bursts of power can play a crucial role in maintaining grid reliability, especially with today's congested power lines and the high penetration... read more

Well-defined core-shell nanoparticles offer high-surface-area catalysts with tunable surface properties. Challenges lie in synthesis and characterization of atomically-ordered core-shell interfaces, which are important for enhancing both activity and stability. This "green" synthesis method uses ethanol - a simple solvent for metal precursors "as the reductant to produce highly ordered ruthenium-platinum core-shell nanocatalysts with a tunable number of platinum layers.

This technology provides methods for specifically optimizing the activity of enzynes in a desired direction. By identifying the amino acids in the active site of the enzymes that participate in catalytic activity, this method provides a way to simultaneously select the optimal amino acid to replace each native residue such that mutant enzymes with optimally charged activities are discovered.

In Situ Mercury Stabilization (ISMS) is a method that can remove toxic mercury from soil, sediment, sludge, and other industrial waste.

Fatty acid desaturase genes are delivered to host plants in expressible form to provide lower saturated fatty acid content in seeds.

This technology provides methods for selecting for specific 18:0 fatty acid desaturase genes that produce desaturases that have enhanced activities towards fatty acid chains containing fewer than 18 carbons. The selection procedure is simple and provides a collection of individual mutant desaturase genes.

Researchers at Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory have developed a unique, solvent-free mechanochemical preparation method to prepare phosphonium salts and phosphorous ylides. The phosphorous ylides are then utilized in carrying out the solvent-free synthesis of desired organic compounds employing the Wittig-Horner reaction.

Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a process for the conversion of cyclic amines into lactams, which may have utility for the production of nylons and other industrial polymers.

Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory researchers have developed materials and structures with a negative refractive index that potentially open new frontiers in optics applications.

Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a process for the conversion of cyclic amines into lactams, which may have utility for the production of nylons and other industrial polymers.

Photonic crystals are optical materials that can be used to control and manipulate the flow of light. Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a method for the producing photonic crystals that can be used as highly efficient light sources.

U.S. patent 8,885,871 issued on an invention from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) entitled, "Dynamic Control of Spin Sates in Interacting Magnetic Elements “, which describes a novel technique for controlling very small magnetic elements that form a complicated interacting magnetic device.  The use of the technique is limitless, but it is anticipated that this technique will used in magnonic crystals, nano-oscillators, filters, and potentially magnetic memory or other logic... read more

U.S. patent 8,850,583 issued on an invention from Idaho National Laboratory (INL) entitled, "Intrusion Detecting Using Secure Signatures “, which will reduce cyber security risks to our nation’s energy infrastructure.  The patent describes a novel method for detecting security vulnerabilities, while preventing the release of information on the vulnerability by using secure signatures of the vulnerabilities.  Current systems use public notice, patches, or a... read more

A rapid, selective catalytic system to produce vinyl plastics from renewable biomass. The resulting polymers offer cost and performance advantages over petroleum-based polyacrylics such as pMMA and are ideally suited for a wide variety of applications, including optical fibers and heat/solvent resistant plastics.
 

An apparatus for movably sealing a deposition chamber from the rest of a fabrication system under vacuum.

A high throughput thin film device manufacturing process that produces stable, high efficiency devices and, at the same time, limits environmental and occupational exposure to toxic compounds.
 

An instrument and method for depositing thin film alloys over large areas under vacuum. The key features stem from the use of close-space sublimation sources with independent valve and temperature control.

Apparatus and method for depositing thin films onto a substrate using an advanced thermal deposition technique.
 

A chemical process for producing complex ternary thin film alloys using evaporative deposition over large areas.
 

A device for evaporative deposition of thin films that offers more efficient heating and greater deposition control. Key features include an embedded heater element and a shutter system.

This innovation facilitates rapid cooling in a vacuum (from 200 ^oC to 25 ^oC) and greatly diminishes the time required to produce complex thin films requiring multiple deposition steps.

A catalytic reaction system by which the biomass-derived feedstock chemical HMF can be upgraded into a higher carbon content intermediate compound. Further processing steps can convert the intermediate into jet and diesel fuels or into value added specialty compounds.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has created a novel method and apparatus for monitoring plutonium concentration during pyroprocessing to ensure that the refining process is efficient at collecting actinides. Unlike existing solutions, which require complex, time-consuming remote testing, this unique sensor is capable of providing real-time in-situ measurements.

Scientists at Berkeley Lab have developed a method for fabricating conductive aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanocrystals that provide a lower cost, less toxic, earth-abundant alternative to the widely used transparent conductive oxide (TCO) indium tin oxide while offering comparable optical and electronic properties. TCOs are used in devices such as flat screen displays, photovoltaic cells, photochromic windows, chemical sensors, and biosensors.

NREL is closing the LED "green gap" with a patent-pending technology that allows for easy manufacturing of low-cost amber LEDs that—when combined with red, green, and blue LEDs—produce brilliant broad-spectrum white light more efficiently than current LEDs. This RGBA color-mixing technique enables low-cost, easy-to-manufacture white LEDs with improved luminosity.

This novel device architecture achieves nearly double the efficiency of current amber LEDs by... read more

George Moridis of Berkeley Lab has proposed a technology that uses the most advanced developments in shaped charges and controlled explosions to stimulate well production. The Shaped-Charge Stimulation (ShaCS) technology can replace conventional hydraulic fracturing technologies, currently the main well stimulation technique for low- and ultra-low oil and gas reservoirs.

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has created an enhanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) sensor that serves as a drop-in replacement sensor for existing NMR systems.  Existing sensors receive only information that can be used to determine the composition of a sample.  These sensors can be replaced without modification with the enhanced NMR sensor allowing the NMR system to not only determine the composition of a sample, but also be used to produce an NMR image,... read more

Water heating in residential homes can account for as much as 15% of total energy use. It is the second largest end use after space heating and cooling. With a renewed interest in energy efficiency for both financial and environmental reasons, water heater companies have seen increased demand from consumers for more efficient water heaters. While various technologies have been developed, control systems can add significant savings to the best technologies.

A University of Colorado research group led by Fernando Mancilla-David has developed a low cost irradiance sensor using a network modeled on a neural network. In this approach, a trained NN algorithm uses a small number of PV cells arranged into a small sensing PV panel, as well as a temperature sensor and a low-cost microcontroller, to directly sense solar irradiance; this data can then be fed back into the MPP tracking algorithm to dynamically improve PV efficiency as conditions change.

... read more

Many properties of materials depend on their structural symmetry—for example, piezoelectricity is simply not observed in high-symmetry configurations. When the building blocks of a lattice are isotropic (perfectly uniform), they rarely form a low-symmetry crystal system. Now, by controlling the interlinking of isotropic nanoparticles, it is possible to custom-design the symmetry of a self-assembled lattice and enhance the desired properties in the full nanomaterial.

There are many potential applications for high-performance devices fabricated using III-V materials, including high efficiency solar cells, solid-state lighting, and high-speed transistors. In each case, the specific device designs rely on combinations of various materials where the lattice mismatch between the different materials can introduce problems for device performance and the deposition processes can be cost-prohibitive. With each of these markets approaching multi-billion dollars... read more

To be commercially viable, superconducting materials used in various applications must have high critical current densities because high electrical current is required to power any significant load. It has been shown that superconducting materials formed with bi-axially textured layers have superior critical current densities. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed electro-deposited, bi-axially textured buffer layers for depositing a superconducting material onto a substrate... read more

Berkeley Lab researchers Junqiao Wu, Kai Liu, and Kevin Wang have developed a powerful new microscale actuator that simultaneously achieves high amplitude, high work output, and high speed in both air and water. In fact, this technology is the first to exceed performance limits in amplitude, force, and speed of standard microactuators and piezoelectric devices.

Sandia National Laboratories has developed a latching switch for optical fibers. One or more fibers are moved by an actuator between two positions, off and on. In the off position, two fiber ends are not aligned and light does not pass from the first fiber to the second. In the on position, the ends of two fibers are precisely aligned to make a low-loss optical connection. 

A research team at the University of Colorado has developed a novel heat exchanger design and accompanying manufacturing technique for creating low-cost microchannel heat exchangers from plastics, metals, or ceramics. The prototype used laser welding (upper red lines at right). Expansion makes “chessboard” counter flow pattern (lower right). The figure below shows mass production, where sheets are added one at a time and welded with a mask and filament (left) or laser (right).... read more

Current wastewater treatment processes and membrane based desalination technologies are energy intensive due to the power demand for aeration, sludge treatment, and membrane operation. A research team at the University of Colorado led by Zhiyong (Jason) Ren has developed a bioelectrochemical systems (BES) that exhibits much greater energy production than previous systems and functions reliably under large-scale operating conditions.
 

Sandia National Laboratories has created sensors to identify and assess the pervasive and expensive problem of corrosion in applications ranging from construction to microelectronics.

Numerous commercial and military applications require knowing the absolute age and/or temperature history of a device or system starting from the time it is assembled or commissioned. Ideally this information could be obtained simply and without power. The Sandia-developed age and temperature history sensor is a physical materials system solution to address this need.

One of the major drawbacks of electric vehicles (EVs) is the long period of time required to recharge EV batteries. While regular Alternating Current (AC) charging systems are sufficient for overnight charging of these vehicles at home or at the office, they aren’t practical for quick recharging in public areas. A rapid means for recharging EVs is needed in order to make electric vehicles a practical alternative to traditional internal combustion engine-powered vehicles.

In... read more

Distributed energy (DE) systems have begun to make a significant impact on energy supply and will certainly affect energy needs in the future. These systems include, but are not limited to, photovoltaics (PV), wind turbines, micro-turbines, fuel cells, and internal combustion (IC) engines.  Beyond these generation systems, energy storage and electric vehicles are expected to have an increasing impact. The PV-inverter market alone totaled $7.2 billion in 2011 and is expected... read more

To develop more fuel efficient and wear resistant engines, advanced lubricants that perform better at high temperature are needed.  Since most lubricating oils begin to oxidize above 250°C, therefore solid lubricating coatings and self-lubricating composites are needed for higher temperature use[i].  Currently used engine oils may contain metal-based lubricant additives such as molybdenum derivatives for enhancing lubricity and zinc compounds for their anti-wear properties[ii].... 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

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. These Argonne additives will help meet that demand.

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 battery materials for electrolytes, electrodes, and interfaces that will increase the specific energy of advanced batteries, while simultaneously providing enhanced stability at a lower cost. To... read more

With numerous attractive properties, calcium hexaboride offers great promise for many industrial uses, particularly in PEM fuel cells for electric cars. While previous commercial attempts to synthesize the compound have been unsuccessful, scientists at Argonne National Laboratory and Southern Illinois University (SIU) have devised innovative methods for synthesizing high-quality calcium boride nanoparticles.

Argonne has developed an autogenic pyrolysis process to convert plastic waste into high-value carbon nanotubes (50?100 nm outside diameter) and perfectly round carbon spheres (2-12 μm outside diameter). The tubes can be used as anode material in advanced batteries such as lithium-ion and eventually, lithium-air batteries.

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 battery materials for electrolytes, electrodes, and interfaces that will increase the specific energy of advanced batteries, while simultaneously providing enhanced stability at a lower cost. To... read more

Solar power generating capacity has grown from 83 MW in 2003 to over 7,200 MW in 2012, in the U.S. alone. As the solar industry grows, there is a significant need for quality control and testing methodologies. Both testing and quality control of photovoltaics (PV) and power electronics are essential to innovation and efficient production. Accurately testing new materials and manufacturing techniques in a quick and simple way can lead to unique insights and reduced manufacturing costs and... read more

The success of modern industries— especially those that are electricity-intensive—depends on complex engineering systems to ensure safe, productive and efficient operations. System breakdowns can result in millions of dollars in lost time and productivity—and even the loss of life and property. For example, in the utilities industry—where the continuous operation of coolant pumps is essential—the breakdown of a single pump can result in a loss of as much as $10... read more

Coolant radiators in highway trucks are designed to transfer maximum heat at a “design condition.” The current standard design condition is a fully-loaded truck climbing up Baker Grade on the hottest summer day. The coolant system, including radiator, is sized to remove 100% of the required heat from the engine at the design condition without boiling the coolant, which results in a large radiator.  Consequently, the radiator is oversized for most driving conditions. In some... read more

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 battery materials for electrolytes, electrodes, and interfaces that will increase the specific energy of advanced batteries, while simultaneously providing enhanced stability at a lower cost. To... read more

Sandia National Laboratories has developed an economical and efficient activated carbon adsorbent for the trapping of noble gases including Argon, Krypton, Xenon and radioactive ⁸⁵Kr. Unlike currently used adsorbents, this superior material is fire-resistant with spontaneous ignition temperatures (SIT) of up to 860°C and favorable sorption capacity.

Electrochemical analysis is a highly sensitive, chemically selective method for identifying and quantifying many different chemicals in water.  Previous art required  field samples be transported to a laboratory where additional chemicals would be added before the analysis could be performed.  Sandia National Laboratories has invented an electrochemical analysis method that has eliminated the need to add chemicals to the testing process while increasing the... read more

For years, scientists have sought to harness energy from the sun, using lenses and mirrors to focus and track sunlight, or photovoltaic cells to absorb and convert sunlight to electricity. Their goal is for solar energy to reach “grid parity”—that is, for its cost to become comparable to that of more traditional sources of energy like coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power. Thus far, however, converting sunlight into electric power has proved to be prohibitively expensive.

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have created an innovative way to enhance the performance of radio frequency (RF) electron guns: a method of gating electron emissions from field-emitter cathodes for these guns that also provides a highly focused electron beam without magnetic fields or a curved cathode surface. The innovations provide a high-brightness, very low emission beam with beam energies from 1 to 5 MeV. The gun also eliminates the need for lasers or hot filaments to produce... read more

Researchers at Berkeley Lab have developed a highly efficient technology for the reclamation of waste heat in mechanical heat engines widely used in solar-thermal, geothermal, and industrial processes. This new approach yields gains in efficiencies for both high temperature and intermediate temperature thermal sources, marking a significant advance over strategies that focus predominately on high temperature efficiency solutions.

Ames Laboratory researchers have developed fabrication methods for a polarized thermal emitter than can be used to create more efficient thermophotovoltaic devices for power generation.

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

Security threats come in many forms—airborne, radiative, gaseous, human, or infiltrative—and it can be costly and impractical to deploy a broad suite of detector technologies to identify all potential hazards in public places. Argonne’s millimeter wave (mmW) sensor technologies measure a wide range of threat materials remotely, making them well suited to many security, industrial and medical applications.

The in-tank recirculating treatment system reduces the levels of contaminants in water storage tanks. A recirculation pump continually sends water though a treatment in order to reduce the levels of contamination.

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.

Sandia National Laboratories has created solutions to startup flow issues in supercritical conversion systems.  The Supercritical Brayton Cycle is a power conversion system that is undergoing extensive testing and advancements at Sandia Labs.  The brayton cycle system has the ability to achieve higher efficiency and more cost effect power conversion than current art forms. 

Sandia has developed a heat transfer fluid (HTF) for use at elevated temperatures that has a lower freezing point than any molten salt mixture available commercially. This allows the HTF to be used in applications in which the expensive parasitic energy costs necessary for freeze protection can be significantly reduced. The higher operating temperature limit significantly increases power cycle efficiency and overall power plan sun-to-net electric efficiency.

Sandia has developed a cheap, efficient, and accurate method of measuring the irradiance from solar reflections using a digital camera. Measurements of reflected solar irradiance is of great importance to industry, military, and government agencies to assess potential impacts of glint and glare from growing numbers of solar power installations around the world. In addition, this measurement technique can be used to monitor and maintain system performance for concentrating solar power... read more

To defend against infection, humans and other animals produce antibodies. Antibodies can also be used to diagnose and treat some diseases and to detect toxins and pathogens. While global demand for antibody therapeutics is growing dramatically, antibodies are relatively fragile, and tend to be unstable outside controlled laboratory conditions. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a cost-effective engineering strategy for improving antibody stability.

As plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) become more popular, they create additional demand for electricity. Their emergence also raises a host of issues regarding how, where and when car batteries should be charged—and the resulting load on the power grid.

Electric utilities strive to avoid large fluctuations in the power supply and to keep the system’s frequency stable at 60 Hz. In this way, they maintain balance in supply and demand... read more

The issue of heat transfer offers fertile ground for scientific exploration across many disciplines. Argonne researchers have discovered the potential of nanofluids as an efficient agent of heat transfer.

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have devised a safe, affordable way to ensure a reliable U.S. supply of selected medical isotopes. The invention has the potential to revitalize the domestic production of critical medical diagnostic materials and make the production process affordable even for small regional hospitals.

The innovative technology combines two Argonne patents, a superconducting cage-like radio-frequency (RF) cavity and a dual electron linear accelerator, or linac,... read more

For years, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has been used in a variety of applications, from passports to inventory tracking in retail environments. Homeland security concerns have heightened the need for sensitive, real-time tracking of thousands of radioactive and hazardous material packages to ensure accountability, safety, security, and worker and public health. Through the support of DOE, Argonne researchers have developed and tested a patented RFID tracking and... 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

Magnetic regenerators utilize the magnetocaloric effect--the ability of a magnetic field to reduce the magnetic part of a solid materials entropy, generating heat, and then removing the magnetic field, permitting the reduction of temperature with the change in entropy. The cyclic heat generation and absorption in adiabatic magnetization and demagnetization. This invention uses a specific mix of rare earth magnetic materials capable of producing both a first and second order phase transitions... read more

Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a new magnetic material that can be used at low temperatures (sub liquid hydrogen) for magnetic refrigerators.

The giant magnetocaloric material Gd5(SixGe1-x)4, useful for various types of refrigeration applications, from liquifaction of helium (4K) to room temperature air conditioning and climate control, has just become more cost effective with the development of this new method for utilizing commercially available Gd to produce it.

Innovative microstructures that can direct light in a manner similar to the way semiconductors can influence electrons can be produced by creating what is termed a photonic band gap. These microstructures have the potential to change the way optoelectronic devices, such as photodiodes, LEDs, and integrated optical circuit elements, are designed and used. Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a method for creating photonic band gap materials that is economical and does not require the... read more

A reliable syntheses of semiconductor-metal heterostructure has been developed to enable application of materials in catalytic, magnetic, and opto-electronic devices, and Iowa State University, The Ames Laboratory's Contractor, is looking for industry partners to commercialize this technology.

ORNL researchers developed a breakthrough design for a hazardous-gas detector
that is environmentally safe and inexpensive and that includes both sensing and
detecting means. The invention can detect and identify volatile organic and inorganic
substances in vapors faster than conventional methods. Improved sensitivity using less
complicated, less expensive measuring devices is another key feature of this invention.
The core of this invention is based on observations that when an... read more

An internal gelatin process for preparing hydrous hafnium, cerium, or aluminum oxide
microspheres was invented at ORNL. The invention is a type of sol-gel process that
solidifies droplets of solution as they enter into a warm environment. The resulting gel
spheres have been proven to be structurally strong.
 

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... read more

Using a room temperature process, a new type of transparent, crack-free, monolithic
scintillator has been developed at ORNL. This invention uses thin-film, glass, and
fiber-optic sensors, and is based on the preparation of neutron scintillators with a
room temperature sol-gel process. The result is an inexpensive, versatile system that is
compatible with both inorganic and organic dopants for hybrid material processing.
Typically, solid-state neutron scintillators are prepared by... read more

Researchers at ORNL invented a promising material for more efficient nanoscale
scintillators, or radiation detectors. The new material, which can detect most kinds
of radiation, consists of fluorescent nanoparticles embedded in a transparent matrix.
The invention addresses needs in research, security, and industry for detectors with
improved light output and higher detection efficiency. The technology offers high
count rate capability and better time resolution.

 

An optical system capable of reproducing three-dimensional images was invented at
ORNL. This system can detect height changes of a few nanometers or less and render
clear, single shot images. These types of precise, high speed measurements are important
for a variety of nanoscience applications.
 

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%.

The Pella Drum Opener is a developed and tested tool that facilitates the opening of open-head steel drums and resolves a safety issue with respect to drum handling.

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... read more

To improve accuracy in diagnosis of retinal disease, ORNL researchers invented a
method for assigning a confidence metric to computer-aided optic disc analysis. The
physical condition of the optic disk determines the presence of various ophthalmic
pathologies, including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Unfortunately, localization
of the optic disk and detection of its boundaries on the retinal image are not easy tasks.
With this invention, the review process can be entirely... read more

A liquid scintillator with a substantially increased lithium weight was developed by
ORNL researchers. Scintillators are widely used for the detection of neutron radiation
emitted by radioactive sources.

Conventional liquid scintillators are loaded with neutron absorbers. However, these
scintillators generally have lower than optimum light output and pulse shape
discrimination. This invention addresses these limitations with higher lithium loads
that can remain transparent in... read more

This is a comprehensive software program adaptable to any company or corporation conducting an employee suggestion program.  The IDEAS (Individuals Developing Effective Alternative Solutions) program was created to stimulate employee participation in generating as many new IDEAS as possible that could benefit the site and its employees.  The IDEAS software program was developed to manage the numberous suggestions submitted by Savannah River Site employees.

ORNL researchers invented a nanoscopic electrode system for measuring the
electron transport properties of a molecule. This invention offers a means of
enhancing measurements of a molecule positioned between two nanoscopic
electrodes for study. Currently, molecular sensing and identification is challenged
by uncertainty in conductance measurements.
 

Particle analysis is useful for determining chemical compositions in a wide range
of disciplines, from ascertaining the source of a petroleum sample to duplicating a
fragrance. The technique is appealing to a broad cross section of analytical sciences,
but its applications are limited because, for existing equipment, sample size is limited
and the testing is carried out under a high vacuum.
 

At Three Mile Island in 1979, a partial meltdown of the core was caused by a sudden,
undetected loss of reactor coolant water. In the past, a reactor’s high temperature and
pressure environment has complicated the implementation of level measurement
devices. To effectively measure the level of coolant, ORNL has developed a torsional
wave-based level measurement system. This system can be placed within a high
temperature and pressure environment.
 

ORNL scientists working in conjunction with the Hamilton Eye Institute at the
University of Tennessee–Memphis invented new methods and devices to reduce
risk in surgical procedures for removing scar tissue and treating damage to the
eye from corneal erosion. Retina Velcro and the Cornea NanoPunch represent
significant microsurgical advancements in the invasive treatment of the eye. Both
inventions can improve patient outcome and minimize the risk of vision loss from
current... read more

A quartz time, positioning, and navigation array that solves a fundamental
sensitivity problem is under development by ORNL researchers. Existing systems
with good timing stability are limited by poor motion sensitivities. In contrast, this
invention has stability at a much lower size, weight, and power; better acceleration
and shock tolerance; wider temperature tolerance; and very high reliability.

 

Enterprises generate large quantities of information contained in documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and databases. This information is stored across file shares, intranet portals, user desktops, and other business unit applications. Combined with a lack of structured organizational tools, keywords, tags, or other automated retrieval tools, organizations struggle to index, search, and find information across these disparate platforms.

Most research on mammography focuses on image data, not textual reports. However, the reports associated with patient visits offer a valuable set of observations. To take advantage of these sequential writings, a robust ORNL learning algorithm assembles, searches, and analyzes cue phrases in radiology reports to determine if they define normal or abnormal traits in mammograms over time.

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.

Crop plants are infected by numerous fungal and bacterial pathogens that reduce crop quality and yield. Common methods for addessing this problem include time consuming processes such as genetic engeneering, and possibly enviromentally risky processes, such as treatment of plants via synthetic anti?pathogen compounds.

 

Dr. Gary Van Berkel and colleagues have developed a liquid microjunction surface sampling probe (LMJ?SSP). The LMJ?SSP provides mass spectrometry with a simple and efficient ambient surface sampling method that can be coupled with any liquid introduction ionization source.

 

Direct digital synthesis (DDS) technology permits the generation of high frequency-resolved waveforms that can be changed on the nanosecond time scale (4 ns minimum). However when the DDS switches frequency, it occurs at any point in the phase accumulation consequently the output waveform during frequency stepping may be quite different. This randomness of frequency transition is called "DDS frequency transition jitter".

Current methods for sensor placement are based on qualitative approaches ranging from “best guess” to expensive, customized studies.



 

Stem cell therapies are a viable treatment options for some human diseases. Efficacy of such therapies can be maximized by addressing critical issues such as cell delivery and cell survival post delivery. Conventional methods for cell delivery do not determine the viability of the transplanted cell. For example, an estimated 5?10% of cells transplanted into the central nervous system survive post?transplantation, leaving only a small portion of the originally grafted cells to contribute in... read more

Scientists at ORNL have created vertically aligned carbon nano?fibers (VACNF) that are well suited for cell and tissue interfacing applications, such as electrophysiological stimulus and recording, and drug and gene delivery. VACNFs are produced in an uniform manner that allows for structural controls over the location, length, diameter, conicity, and surface composition.
Preliminary data with nanoelectrode arrays show effective tissue stimulation due to improved contact with tissue and... read more

Enzymes are highly efficient naturally occurring catalysts that are used in a wide range of applications from industrial processes to new drug development. Conventional mechanism for understanding the mechanisms of enzyme functions are costly and time consuming. Moreover, many applications do not increase the activity energy to be applied to enzymes with slow reaction rates.

 

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

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.

INL has developed a method for sampling soil to determine the presence of extremely fine particles such as asbestos.

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

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. 

INL’s Laser Catalyst is a method for removing contaminant matter from a porous material. A polymer material is applied to a contaminated surface and then irradiated to cause redistribution of the contaminant matter. The final step is removal of a portion of the polymer material from the surface.

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

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... 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... 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

A new apparatus has been developed by ORNL researchers to efficiently separate volatile particles from condensible vapors in aircraft engine emissions. The technology enables high-precision emissions research, generating insightful data that helps improve the scientific understanding of the combustion process of modern jet engines and the formation process of secondary particulate matter in the atmosphere.

Researchers at ORNL have developed an integrated system that reduces the total life-cycle cost of used fuel storage while improving overall safety. This multicanister approach provides superior assembly and burnup/damaged fuel capacity. The invention also reduces the need for future repackaging of fuel for transit or storage.

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

Though considered a promising large-scale energy storage device, the real-world deployment of redox flow batteries has been limited by their inability to work well in a wide range of temperatures and their relatively high cost. Historically, the state-of-the-art has been an all-vanadium redox flow battery using a sulfate-based electrolyte.

Researchers at PNNL have developed two novel approaches to redox flow batteries that overcome these barriers and offer superior performance and cost... read more

Reactive Air Aluminizing is a process for applying a protective coating on steel components in solid oxide fuel cells and other high temperature electrochemical devices. This innovative process results in a continuous aluminum oxide coating that reduces chromium volatility and mitigates chemical interaction between glass seals and steel components during exposures at extremely high temperatures (up to 800° Celsius in lab tests).

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.

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).

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have developed a two-phase liquid dielectric composite with synergistic properties that boost the benefits of each separate form. Fluid dielectrics are versatile compounds that assist or govern numerous industrial processes such as  precision cooling, high-voltage capacitance, and the electrical protection of high-voltage switchgear.   Liquid dielectrics suppress or instantly quench corona discharge and arcing without forming... 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,... read more

The limitation to reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the expense of stripping carbon dioxide from other combustion gases. Without a cost-effective means of accomplishing this, hydrocarbon resources cannot be used freely. A few power plants currently remove carbon dioxide from flue gas for sale as an industrial product. Oil companies commonly remove carbon dioxide from natural gas to improve its energy content. In both cases, the most common technology is a temperature-swing... read more

This technology features cathodes for use in open electrochemical cells and devices comprising the cathodes and open electrochemical cells.

 Graphene magnet multilayers (GMMs) are employed to facilitate development of spintronic devices.  Spintronics is a field in which the spin of charge carriers is used in addition to their electrical charge to create small and energy efficient electronic devices.  Current spintronic devices include magnetic field sensing devices used in hard drives and magnetic random access memory (MRAM), based on the properties of magnetic multilayers.

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... read more

Artificial limbs help to restore normal function to amputees. Surface materials for prostheses need to look realistic, hold up to exposure, and mimic skin. ORNL scientists combined superhydrophobic polymer inventions with carbon nanotubes to create a self-cleaning skin-like surface material with the ability to transmit heat. This material provides an improved external covering for mechanical prosthetics.

Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a new microscope that can be used for live cell imaging as well as for examining single molecule dynamics.  Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a mode of fluorescence microscopy that has been widely used for live-cell imaging at the interface between a biological sample and a cover slip or tissue culture well.  TIRFM is based on the induction of an evanescent wave in the liquid adjacent to the interface, which is... read more

Under funding from DOE in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Argonne researchers developed ice slurry technology for industrial and municipal applications—specifically, to replace chilled-water cooling systems in building complexes. Because of the high energy content of ice slurry, its cooling capacity is many times greater than that of single-phase fluids. Ice slurry coolants in HVAC systems can therefore provide more efficient cooling, with substantially lower operational and equipment... read more

In the long term, hydrogen is expected to be the fuel of choice for both the power and transportation industries. Just as conventional cars need gas stations, hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars will need an infrastructure. Hydrogen separation technology is integral to successful fossil-based hydrogen production technologies. Thin, dense composite membranes fabricated from ceramic and hydrogen-transport metal may provide a simple, efficient means for separating hydrogen from fossil-based gas... read more

The United States consumed about 50 billion gallons of diesel fuel in 2006. Because diesel engines are more fuel-efficient than gasoline engines, the use of diesel fuel is expected to continue to expand. With increased diesel use and the EPA’s new, stringent regulations on smog-causing pollutants, Argonne’s new catalyst is a timely breakthrough. The diesel DeNOx catalyst removes 80–85% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel fuel combustion by converting NOx to... read more

Platinum, a costly precious metal element, is commonly used in fuel cells to facilitate the split of the hydrogen atom, which enables the membrane within a PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell to generate a charge, and thus generate clean, direct current electricity. In PEM fuel cells, hydrogen at the anode generates electron and protons. The protons migrate through the proton-conducting membrane, and react with reduced oxygen at cathode to create water. Meanwhile, electrons move from... read more

With the surge in demand for electric vehicles, automotive suppliers and manufacturers are in a race to find cutting edge technologies that deliver more powerful batteries in smaller packages and lower cost – a challenge that researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have undertaken and remain committed to solving.

A novel thermoelectric generator (TEG) design by PNNL allows the conversion of ambient thermal energy into electric power for a variety of low-power uses. These miniature TEGs are able to power wireless sensors and their associated radio frequency transmitters used in a wide range of remote monitoring applications including building energy management, automotive component controls, agricultural monitoring, security surveillance, and wildlife management.

Ozone is used commercially for treatment of potable and non-potable water, and as an industrial oxidant. ISU and Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a method for using iron in ozone oxidation that significantly improves the speed of oxidation reactions.

ISU and Ames Laboratory researchers have developed a high strength gold wire for use in microelectronics that can maintain its electrical and mechanical properties while permitting miniaturization of microelectronics design.

Researchers at Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory have developed a highly tunable, high directivity microwave antenna with utility for military and mobile communications.

Low-cost processing methods will be required if the small organic molecule materials currently under development for use in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) and other electronics are ever to realize widespread commercial application.