News Feature Channel: Department of Energy

Polymer Editing Can Upcycle Waste Into Higher-Performance Plastics

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 19:15:49 EST

By editing the polymers of discarded plastics, chemists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found a way to generate new macromolecules with more valuable properties than those of the starting material.

"Louvers" on the SPARC Fusion Device Should Exhaust Gases as Hot as a Star

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:50:15 EST

New studies have found that using louvers at the bottom of a fusion device creates local conditions that can reduce the temperature of the edge plasma, ensuring the plasma is not hot enough to damage the device. Specifically, the louvers allow the hot plasma to "detach" from the walls of the device, spreading out the heat. The work, on the SPARC machine, aids in progress toward fusion energy production.

Metastable Marvel: X-Rays Illuminate an Exotic Material Transformation

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 21:55:46 EST

A team of scientists investigate an exotic, light-induced phase transformation within a material using advanced X-ray and laser capabilities.

Next-Level Semiconductor Testing Available

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:10:30 EST

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new automated testing capability for semiconductor devices, which is newly available to researchers and industry partners in the Grid Research Integration and Deployment Center, or GRID-C.Semiconductors are considered the heart of the power electronics that shift current and voltage levels as electricity travels from sources like the electric grid and solar panels to where it's used, such as homes, businesses and vehicle charging stations.

Artificial Imagination

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 18:40:37 EST

Kevin Yager, the Electronic Nanomaterials Group leader at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), has articulated an overarching vision for the role of AI in scientific research. It's called a science exocortex -- "exo" meaning outside and "cortex" referencing the information processing layer of the human brain. Rather than simple chatbots and scientific assistants, the conceptualized exocortex will be an extension of a scientist's brain. Researchers will interact with it through conversation, without the need for any invasive brain-computer interfaces.

Illuminating the Elements Under Our Feet

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 17:15:33 EST

Using a unique measurement tool, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have expanded our knowledge of the elements in soil and plants.

Tuning Magnetism With Voltage Opens a New Path to Neuromorphic Circuits

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 21:10:34 EST

Lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO) is a quantum material that is magnetic and conducts electricity at low temperature but is nonmagnetic and an insulator at room temperature. Researchers discovered that applying voltage to LSMO in its magnetic phase causes the material to split into regions with distinct magnetic properties whose properties depend on the applied voltage. This means that both resistance and magnetism can be tuned in LSMO, creating a new path toward neuromorphic devices.

Fresh, Direct Evidence for Tiny Drops of Quark-Gluon Plasma

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:10:59 EST

A new analysis of data from the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) reveals fresh evidence that collisions of even very small nuclei with large ones might create tiny specks of a quark-gluon plasma (QGP).

Argonne's Nuclear Energy Research Drives Innovation in Gen-IV Reactor Safety and Efficiency

Argonne National Laboratory — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 20:30:22 EST

The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is advancing next-generation nuclear energy through state-of-the-art research in sodium-cooled fast reactors. Argonne's METL facility and experiments like THETA support safer, more efficient energy solutions to meet global demands.

Argonne and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute Partner to Advance Silicon Sensor Research

Argonne National Laboratory — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:45:58 EST

Argonne National Laboratory and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, a Republic of Korea national laboratory, sign memorandum of understanding to advance silicon sensor research for the future Electron-Ion Collider.

Neutron Star Measurements Place Limits on Color Superconductivity in Dense Quark Matter

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:40:05 EST

At extremely high densities, quarks are expected to form pairs, a phenomenon called color superconductivity. The strength of pairing inside a color superconductor is related to the pressure of dense matter such as neutron stars.

ORNL Partnership with EPB Tests New Method for Protecting Quantum Networks

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:00:48 EST

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory joined forces with EPB of Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to demonstrate the first transmission of an entangled quantum signal using multiple wavelength channels and automatic polarization stabilization over a commercial network with no downtime.

Unlocking the Potential of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Argonne National Laboratory — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:50:28 EST

Argonne researchers have developed a new class of electrolyte additives for lithium-sulfur batteries, improving battery performance by suppressing the unwanted migration of polysulfide ions and reducing the uneven distribution and occurrence of chemical reactions within the system.

Driving Chemical Transformations Through the Power of Solar Energy

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:45:17 EST

Researchers used solar energy to convert CO2 into a valuable chemical commodity with a two-step solar-powered process. First, electricity from solar energy combined with electrochemistry converts CO2 to ethylene.

Geochemist Kevin Rosso Appointed a Battelle Fellow

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:45:09 EST

Geochemist Kevin Rosso earns the highest scientific and leadership honor bestowed by PNNL.

Advanced Techniques Paint a More Accurate Picture of Molecular Geometry in Metal Complexes

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:35:55 EST

Attractive metal-metal bonding occurs in a variety of molecules made of metallic atoms such as Iridium (Ir). Current theoretical and experimental methods have shown the existence of two isomers for Ir-Ir molecular systems, but researchers have not been able to predict the proportions of these two isomers or how they interact.

Neutron Star Mountains Would Cause Ripples in Space-Time

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 20:15:20 EST

The surface features of neutron stars are largely unknown. Nuclear theorists explored mountain building mechanisms active on the moons and planets in our solar system. Some of these mechanisms suggest that neutron stars are likely to have mountains. Neutron star mountains would be much more massive than any on Earth--so massive that gravity just from these mountains could produce ripples in the fabric of space and time.

MagLab Director to Coach Promising Young Leaders From U.S. Department of Energy's 17 National Labs

Florida State University — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 18:50:39 EST

Kathleen Amm, director of the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, will offer her experience, expertise and guidance to emerging science leaders from across the country.Amm has been named a mentor for the Department of Energy's 2025 Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program.

AI Tackles Disruptive Tearing Instability in Fusion Plasma

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:20:26 EST

Instabilities in the plasma in a tokamak device can cause disruptions that result in rapid loss of plasma confinement and the release of large amounts of energy. Current approaches can suppress one type of disruption, tearing instabilities, after they form. Here, researchers tested a method using AI/deep reinforcement learning that instead adjusts plasma conditions in real-time to avoid these instabilities from developing in the first place.

New Approach Merges Theoretical Fundamentals with Experimental Studies of the Proton's Structure

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 09:55:59 EST

New quantum chromodynamics (QCD) research provides physicists with the tools needed to relate the physics of specific particle collisions with the internal structure of the involved particles. These tools will help scientists relate theory and experiments into how quarks and gluons bind under the influence of QCD.

International Team Analyzes the Universe's First Light at South Pole Telescope

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:05:13 EST

Researchers have analyzed polarized light data from the South Pole Telescope, revealing insights into the early universe. Their findings refine models of cosmic evolution and address the "Hubble tension" in cosmology.

Argonne to Lead Two Microelectronics Research Projects Under U.S. Department of Energy Initiative

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:05:11 EST

Argonne National Laboratory has received funding for two projects that will advance microelectronics under a Department of Energy research centers initiative.

Empowering Change: Argonne Hosts Women Energy Leaders Training Program

Argonne National Laboratory — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 20:00:24 EST

Argonne National Laboratory recently hosted the Climate Smart Women Energy Leaders (CSWEL) training program, part of the Net Zero World Initiative. The program equips women from around the world with knowledge and tools to advance sustainable energy solutions.

On Time, Under Budget: INL Projects Demonstrate Ability to Deliver on Big Nuclear Jobs

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 17:55:51 EST

Since its days as the National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has focused on proving that what people think can't be done is in fact possible. In the past decade, the lab has repeatedly demonstrated to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the nuclear industry that it can complete large, complicated nuclear projects on time and under budget.

Identifying the Elements for Carbon Storage

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 22:50:59 EST

Led by interns from multiple DOE programs, a newly expanded dataset allows researchers to use easy-to-obtain measurements to determine the elemental composition of a promising carbon storage mineral.

Snapshots of Urban Climate Science

Argonne National Laboratory — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:45:53 EST

Research from the heart of Chicago is helping scientists get a better picture of heat islands and air quality. The data will help homeowners and businesses strategize for energy security and climate resilience.

National Lab Collaboration Enables Faster, Safer Inspection of Nuclear Reactor Components, Materials

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:50:06 EST

A research partnership between two Department of Energy national laboratories has accelerated inspection of additively manufactured nuclear components, and the effort is now expanding to inspect nuclear fuels.

Microelectronics Science Research Centers to Lead Charge on Next-Generation Designs and Prototypes

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:40:59 EST

A new generation of microelectronics research begins at PNNL.

Problem-Solver Chad Parish Advances Materials for Nuclear Safety

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:33 EST

Chad Parish works in the Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Using microscopy and microstructural characterization, he reveals the intricate atomic structures of materials essential for developing safer and more economical nuclear reactors.

Stor4Build Heats Up Thermal Energy Storage Solutions for Buildings, Grid

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:35:45 EST

Throughout the United States, more than 100 million buildings tap into electrical energy to keep heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units functioning. HVAC systems cause most of the peak load demand on the electric grid; one way to alleviate the grid burden is to develop new storage options for heating and cooling.

Automation of Nuclear Chemistry Processes Leads to More Efficient Production of Astatine for Cancer Therapy

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:45:26 EST

Astatine-211 (At-211) is a promising alpha emitting radioisotope for cancer therapy, but its short 7.2-hour half-life means that it must be handled quickly to minimize losses due to radioactive decay. In this research, scientists designed and tested an automated device for producing At-211 that improves production time and efficiency. The device also minimizes the dose of radioactivity to production staff and reduces the time needed to prepare samples for shipment.

Enabling Breakthroughs and Building Foundations: The Office of Science's 2024 Year-in-Review

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:40:26 EST

At the Department of Energy's Office of Science, 2024 brought big accomplishments enabled by decades of work as well as advances that are establishing the foundations for future research. From Nobel Prizes to a new exascale computer, the DOE's Office of Science is leading the way.

Nondestructive Microwave Radar Finds Moisture Hiding Inside a Building's Walls

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:25:23 EST

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using microwave radar reflection to nondestructively detect and measure the moisture content of materials within walls without removing drywall or cladding. This also expedites moisture identification and enables mold growth to be treated in the early stages.

Argonne Physicist Receives Feynman Prize for Excellence in Nanotechnology Experimentation

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 22:00:21 EST

The Foresight Institute is recognizing Argonne Physicist Saw Wai Hla with the 2024 Feynman Prize for his research on molecular machines and motors, atomically precise rotation of rare-earth complexes and analysis of a single atom with X-rays.

Plasma Heating Efficiency in Fusion Devices Boosted by Metal Screens

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 20:15:32 EST

Scientists have performed computer simulations confirming a technique that prevents the production of unhelpful electromagnetic waves, boosting the heat put into fusion plasma.

Brookhaven's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:35:04 EST

With one-of-a-kind research facilities leveraged by scientists from across the nation and around the world, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory is a veritable city of science.

Researchers Address Material Challenges to Make Commercial Fusion Power a Reality

Ames National Laboratory — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:15:44 EST

Researchers from the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Ames National Laboratory and Iowa State University are leading efforts to overcome materials challenges that could make commercial fusion power a reality.

Harvesting Plant Data with Robotics, Sensors and Advanced Computing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:05:47 EST

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently demonstrated an autonomous robotic field monitoring, sampling and data-gathering system that could accelerate understanding of interactions among plants, soil and the environment.

Springing Simulations Forward with Quantum Computing

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 19:40:10 EST

Quantum computers have the potential to solve some problems much more efficiently than conventional computers. Researchers have now created a quantum computer algorithm for simulating coupled oscillators, systems of coupled masses and springs that are important for describing many real-world physical systems. The new algorithm results in exponentially faster simulation of coupled oscillators than ordinary algorithms.

Argonne Training Series Helps Prepare a New Generation of AI-Ready Researchers

Argonne National Laboratory — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 19:30:43 EST

Argonne's student training series, Intro to AI-driven Science on Supercomputers, is preparing a new generation of researchers to harness the power of AI to accelerate scientific discoveries.

Fermilab Expecting 95-Ton Coldbox Delivery

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:15:16 EST

The coldbox, a vital piece of Fermilab's new linear accelerator, is on a two-month voyage from France to its new home in Batavia, Illinois. It will be at the heart of the cryogenic system for the lab's upgraded accelerator complex.

Controller with Integrated Machine Learning Tweaks Fusion Plasmas in Real Time

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:55:07 EST

The conditions for high fusion performance in fusion devices can result in damaging energy bursts called edge-localized modes (ELMs). ELMs can be stabilized through small adjustments to the magnetic confinement field, but this approach is usually limited to manual, preprogrammed responses. In this research, scientists integrated machine learning with adaptive control to achieve real-time adjustment capable of responding to the dynamic conditions of a fusion plasma in the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and Korea Institute of Fusion Energy KSTAR tokamaks.

From advancing X-rays to unlocking exascale: Argonne highlights from 2024

Argonne National Laboratory — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:15:47 EST

As the year comes to a close, the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory reviews some of its most notable achievements of 2024.

Two Paths, Many Benefits

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:45:58 EST

Yesterday's polluting fuel could be transformed into a valuable material for tomorrow's electric vehicle batteries, thanks to a wide-ranging research project that utilizes expertise spanning the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Jefferson Lab Dedicates Niobium-tin Particle Accelerator Prototype

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:00:00 EST

Jefferson Lab has dedicated the first particle accelerator cryomodule built with niobium-tin components. The quarter cryomodule is the first designed and tested for accelerating an electron beam to 10 MeV or greater energies and marks a major milestone toward the next era of SRF particle accelerators.

Reimagining Scientific Discovery with AI at PubSci

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:15:07 EST

Curious minds gathered at Napper Tandy's in Bay Shore, New York, on Nov. 19, 2024, for the latest installment of PubSci, a science cafe presented by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory. The event connects scientists and the community for a casual chat about the Lab's research.

C2QA Fosters Growth of Quantum Workforce through Educational Programs

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:00:05 EST

To increase awareness of quantum opportunities and help grow the U.S. quantum workforce, the Co-design Center for Quantum Advantage (C2QA) hosts and co-hosts educational programs that introduce students to the foundational principles of QIS and foster the development of skills needed for a successful career in this rapidly expanding field. The programs held this year, including the QIS & Engineering High School-Level Program, QIS 102: Quantum Computing Summer School, and QIS 303: Quantum Error Mitigation, reached more than 170 participants worldwide, from students who just completed their first year of high school to full-fledged QIS researchers -- and enthusiastic learners from every level of expertise in between.

Cooling with Electroluminescent Semiconductors

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:20:09 EST

: In an LED, electroluminescence creates light through charge carriers that cause the semiconductor to emit photons. This emission can require more energy than is present in the semiconductor, and this excess energy comes from heat around the semiconductor. This makes a semiconductor into a cooling device. In this study, researchers proposed a way to improve the performance of this electroluminescent cooling by using multilayer semiconductors.

Metal Scrap Upcycled into High-Value Alloys with Solid Phase Manufacturing

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:55:28 EST

Solid phase manufacturing can create new custom metal alloys through an innovative process called solid phase alloying, researchers from PNNL report.

U.S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Centers Celebrate 4-Year Milestone, Look Toward Future

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:55:21 EST

For four years, the five U.S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Centers have been expanding what's possible in quantum. Their work is now captured in a new website, nqisrc.org.