CRADAs Executed in 1996 in Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge Technology Makes Its Mark
Turning Corn into Chemicals the Biological Way
CRADAs Executed in 1996 in Oak Ridge
Licenses Executed in 1996
1996 Patents Issued to ORNL Inventors
Recently released statistics show that technology developed at ORNL and other Oak Ridge facilities is making a difference among U.S. industries. A total of $18.3 million in commercial sales from Oak Ridge licensed technologies was reported for the 1996 fiscal year—an increase of 18% over the 1995 figure. Also, during the past fiscal year, the Office of Technology Transfer for Lockheed Martin Corporation in Oak Ridge executed 59 new cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAS) worth $48.6 million. It also executed 39 new licenses and 2 options for a total of 41 deals.
Technology transfer activities at Oak Ridge played a major role in influencing six private companies to either relocate or open operations close to DOE facilities operated by Lockheed Martin here.
Licenses can be either exclusive or nonexclusive, depending on the technology involved and the agreement reached by the licensing executive and the licensee. A license allows a company to use a technology, to manufacture a product, or both.
One license issued recently is for an optical biopsy system that uses a laser to determine if a tumor is malignant. The system, licensed to Optical Biopsy LLC, a subsidiary of Venture Alliance of Knoxville and Pioneer Surgical of Loxahatchee, Florida, may soon replace conventional tumor biopsies. It is already in use at the Thompson Cancer Survival Center in Knoxville.
Another license was issued last fiscal year to Turtle Mountain Communications of Maryville for a button-sized lens system that may enable the manufacture of video cameras and transmitters no bigger than a microcassette. (See p. 102 for a story on a partnership and license.)
Other noteworthy accomplishments for the 1996 fiscal year include $1 million in royalty income from licenses and execution of the first municipal CRADA with Los Angeles County. This CRADA focuses on solving water pollution problems caused by urban storm water.
Through CRADAS, government and industrial partners collaborate on ideas, share costs, and pool the results of a particular research and development program to bring technologies to the marketplace. Private partners provide resources for the research effort, while ORNL or other DOE laboratories provide personnel, facilities, equipment, or other nonmonetary resources.
Customer surveys show that industrial firms are pleased with the services provided by government partners in CRADAs. In 1996, the amount of cash brought to Oak Ridge ($1.5 million) by private companies in support of CRADAs exceeded the typical “in-kind support” of any previous year. So it’s been a win-win situation for all.
| Partner(s) | Technology | Principal Investigator |
|---|---|---|
| NCMS | Rapid response manufacturing | W. D. Cain |
| Golden Technologies, Inc. | Design, development, and fabrication of an inorganic membrane to separate hydrogen from petroleum refinery purge gases | G. E. Roettger |
| Golden Technologies, Inc. | Design, development, and fabrication of enhanced inorganic membranes in systems to remediate the problem of volatile organic compounds in water | D. E. Fain |
| Golden Technologies, Inc. | Inorganic membrane for hydrogen separation in olefin | D. E. Fain |
| USCAR/INEL | Intelligent welding of thin metal sections | M. W. Richey |
| Service Optics Corp. | Surface inspection machine (infrared) | G. L. Powell |
| ConnectWare, Inc. | Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adapter device driver for digital UNIX | L. MacIntyre |
| Osram Sylvania, Inc. | Gelcasting polycrystalline alumina | M. A. Janney |
| E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company | Evaluation of air conditioner air refrigerant cross-flow heat exchangers with R22 and zeotropic refrigerant mixture | V. C. Mei, F. C. Chen |
| American Society of Mechanical Engineers | Non-heat-treatable aluminum alloy sheet products | H. W. Hayden |
| Doble Engineering, Kahn Instruments | Moisture sensor for sulfur hexafluoride–filled circuit breakers | D. R. James, I. Sauers |
| Thermshield International, LTD. | Test bed demonstration project–radiation control coatings | T. W. Petrie |
| GelTech, Inc. | Novel cost-effective process for the replication of hybrid diffractive/refractive optical elements | B. E. Bernacki, L. C. Maxey |
| Serotech, Inc. | Surface-enhanced Raman optical data storage (SERODS) system | T. Vo-Dinh |
| Cincinnati Milacron Marketing Co. | Expert system for machine tool coolant selection | H. A. Fell |
| Applied CarboChemicals, Inc. | Production of chemical derivatives from renewables | B. H. Davison |
| SPRI/Roof Consultants Institute | Whole building roof re-cover and drying demonstration project | A. Desjarlais |
| Hyper Velocity, Inc. | Position and velocity control of pneumatic cylinders for flexible assembly systems | J. G. Parrott, T. L. Williams |
| Advanced Lithography Group | HIP densification project | E. A. Franco-Ferreira |
| Medtronic, Inc. | Development of thin-film batteries for implantable medical devices | J. B. Bates |
| Commercial Crystal Laboratories, Inc. | New crystal-growth methods for producing lattice-matched substrates for high-temperature semiconductors | L. A. Boatner |
| Midwest Superconductivity, Inc., Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Advanced temperature superconductor film-based process using RABiTs’ substrates | A. Goyal, R. Hawsey |
| PDMA Corp. | In-service motor performance diagnostic | S. L. Bunch |
| Advanced Optical Equipment and Systems Corp. | Development of advanced photolytic iodine laser cutting and joining technologies for manufacturing | M. W. Richey |
| GelTech, Diffraction International, University of Rochester | Advanced micro-optics characterization using computer-generated holograms | L. C. Maxey, J. E. Rogers |
| Apeiron, Inc. | Advanced hardware and software methods for thread and gear-dimensional metrology | A. C. Miller |
| GaSonics International | Energetic neutral beam cleaning | D. E. Schechter, C. C. Tsai |
| Materials and Electrochemical Research Corp. | Hydrogen storage in organometallic fullerenes | F. C. Chen |
| Clinical Neuro Systems, Inc., Ben Franklin Techology Center, Delaware Valley Industrial Resource | Vascular occlusive device prototyping | W. Morrison, P. A. Evans |
| Innovative Computing Technologies, Inc. | Sensor-driven intelligent control system for plasma processing | V. B. Campbell |
| ERC, Inc. | Intelligent machine learning analysis for fuel cell operations | F. C. Chen |
| Charles Evans & Assoc. | Feasibility of correlating V-Cr-Ti alloy weld strength with weld chemistry | M. L. Grossbeck |
| Utron, Inc. | A 7-km/s electrothermal light gas gun pellet injector | S. L. Milora |
| Lambda Technologies, Inc. | Advanced ECR ion source with large resonant plasma volume | G. D. Alton, F. W. Meyer |
| Visual Computing Systems Corp. | Flywheel motor alternator for hybrid electric vehicles | J. W. McKeever |
| Stereotaxis, Inc. | Superconducting coil amplifier for magnetic stereotaxis neurosurgery | J. Lai |
| Geltech, Inc. | Cost-effective, high-precision fabrication technologies for radiation-resistant advanced optical components | B. E. Bernacki |
| Frigidaire Company | Accelerated development of efficient refrigerator technologies | E. A. Vineyard |
| Micro-Grain, Inc. | Microwave treatment as a pesticide alternative for stored products | T. S. Bigelow |
| Dow Corning Corp. | High-temperature particle filtration technology | T. M. Besmann |
| Roofing Industry Committee | Investigating the durability of roofing systems in the aftermath of a major wind storm | A. Desjarlais |
| Tinsley Labs | Deterministic fabrication of optical components using ion-beam milling | D. O. Hobson |
| Union Camp Corp. | Overcoming constraints to high-yield plantation-grown hardwoods in the southeastern United States | G. A. Tuskan |
| DynEco International, Inc. | Orbital vane compressor-expander development for vehicle fuel cells | F. C. Chen, V. C. Mei |
| Detroit Diesel Corp. | Motor-generator augmentation of diesel turbocharge | R. Graves, D. Adams |
| Pall-Pass | Reverse osmosis membrane (pharmaceutical) and cleanable HEPA filter panel project | D. Fain |
| Angstrom Tools, LLC | Computational toolbox for molecular nanotechnology | B. G. Sumpter |
| Los Angeles County Department of Public Works | Conceptual development of an environmental data management system for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System compliance | M. J. Sales |
| Red Zone Robotics | Generalized operator interface for remote system control | G. Armstrong |
| Solar Turbines, Inc. | Evaluation of stainless steels for primary surface recuperator applications | R. W. Swindeman |
| DCH Technologies, Inc. | Development of low-cost hydrogen sensors and detectors | B. S. Hoffheins |
| American Magnetics, Inc. | Development, design, and fabrication of hybrid high-temperature superconducting leads | D. M. Kroeger |
| Maytag Appliances | Demonstration and evaluation of high-efficiency, horizontal-axis clothes washer | J. J. Tomlinson |
| Perkin-Elmer | Ion source and inlet system fundamentals and applications | G. J. VanBerkel |
| SciBus Analytical, Inc. | Commercialization of technologies developed in the Contaminant Analysis Automation (CAA) Program | L. Klatt |
| Licensee | Technology |
|---|---|
| Advanced Systems Technology | Active and passive neutron examination and assay |
| Angeion Corporation | Thin-film batteries |
| Applied CarboChemicals, Inc. | Fermentation process to produce succinic acid from corn (see p. 102) |
| CyberTrax Innovative Technologies, Inc. | Omnidirectional and holonomic rolling platform for wheelchair |
| DCH Technology, Inc. | Thick-film hydrogen sensor |
| DeRoyal Industries, Inc. | Concentration of pertechnetate solutions |
| Environmental Systems Corp. | Lumscope/Lumscan/ScopeCTL software |
| GeoVox Security Corp. | Enclosed Space Detection System (heartbeat detector) |
| Insight Inspection Technology | Robotic vehicle |
| Lambda Technologies, Inc. | Variable-frequency microwave technologies |
| LoTEC, Inc. | Ceramic powders |
| Midwest Superconductivity, Inc. | Structures having enhanced biaxial texture and method of fabricating same |
| Optical Biopsy, LLC | DNF method for cancer diagnosis |
| Pioneer Surgical, Inc. | DNF method for cancer diagnosis |
| Powell River Laboratories | Environmentally safe projectile (lead-free bullets) |
| SciBus Analytical, Inc. | PCR algorithm software |
| SenSiv, Inc. | Monolithic spectrometer |
| Serotec | Biological material transfer of monoclonal antibodies |
| Spire Corporation | Polymer surface-hardening process |
| Supelco, Inc. | Sol-gel sorbent trap for environmental sampling |
| Turtle Mountain Communications | Miniature hybrid optical imaging lens |
| Turtle Mountain Communications | RF beacon integrated circuit (mask works) |
| UCB Chemicals Corp. | Ionization radiation curing of epoxy resin systems using cationic photoinit |
| United Defense, L.P. | Nickel-aluminum (Ni3Al) alloys |
| Venture Alliance II, LLC | Synchronous luminescence system |
Turning Corn into Chemicals the Biological Way
In England, it’s the term for wheat; in Scotland and Ireland, it’s oats. But in America, corn is the grass called maize that was domesticated and cultivated by Native Americans long before Europeans reached the New World. Although Americans consume considerable amounts of fresh corn on the cob, canned and frozen corn, cornbread muffins, and popcorn, corn in the United States is used primarily as animal fodder and also for making ethanol fuel and high-fructose syrup for soda beverages.
Now, scientists from four DOE laboratories, including ORNL, and a private company propose another use for corn. They have developed a revolutionary process for turning corn into chemicals needed to make consumer products. In this process, a new microorganism efficiently ferments glucose sugar in corn to succinic acid, which is an essential ingredient in the manufacture of plastics, clothing, paints, inks, food additives, and automobile bumpers.
In 1996 ORNL and three other DOE labs signed a $7 million agreement with Applied CarboChemicals, a Pennsylvania specialty chemicals company, to manufacture chemical feedstocks from renewable farm crops like corn. The agreement involves use of the new process, which has been licensed to Applied CarboChemicals and which received an R&D 100 Award in 1997.
This bioprocessing method is significantly less expensive than conventional petroleum-based methods for producing succinic acid. In addition, it eliminates gypsum, an undesirable by-product that must be hauled to landfills. Also, the new process promises economic benefits by reducing reliance on imported oil or at least by freeing up petroleum as a source of chemicals so it can be used as fuel. For example, if chemical feedstocks normally produced from petroleum were instead generated using a single combined biological and chemical plant, the oil saved could be used to heat 80,000 single-family homes for a year. Finally, the new process could expand markets for corn and other renewable feedstocks and provide greater job security and perhaps job growth within agriculture and related industries.
The new process, developed by ORNL, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), generates, separates, and purifies succinic acid and uses it as an intermediate to produce 1,4-butanediol, tetrahydrofuran, N-methyl pyrrolidone and other chemical feedstocks used to make a wide assortment of products. Existing domestic markets for such chemicals total more than $1.3 billion.
ORNL was the technical project leader, and ORNL researchers Nhuan Nghiem and Brian Davison developed the fermentation process. This process uses a novel microorganism, developed by ANL, that converts corn-derived glucose to succinic acid at very high yields. ANL also determined a way to purify the succinic acid product. NREL analyzed the economics of the new process, and PNNL found ways to catalyze succinic acid to produce commodity chemicals, the final step in the conversion process.
This research is part of DOE’s Alternative Feedstocks program, which is intended to forge new links between the agricultural community and the chemicals industry through support of research and development that uses crops to produce chemical feedstocks. The research is funded by DOE’s Office of Industrial Technology, Alternative Feedstocks Program. Funding is also provided through the cooperative research and development agreement with Applied CarboChemicals.
Using bioreactor columns to ferment corn, ORNL researchers recently produced 50 liters of a succinic acid product in each fermentation and shipped the broth to ANL for purification. Later this year 500-liter fermentations will be performed. If this DOE technology is commercialized and used widely to process corn, the United States may harvest rich rewards.
| Inventor(s) | Technology |
|---|---|
| T. Scott | Biparticle fluidized-bed reactor |
| R. Tyndall | Amoeba/bacteria consortia for degrading wastes and contaminants |
| R. McKee, F. Walker | Improved process for depositing epitaxial alkaline earth oxide onto a substrate and structures prepared with the process |
| R. Lauf, C. Holcombe, N. Dykes | Process for manufacturing multilayer capacitors and like articles |
| T. Scott, R. Petersen, B. Davison | Continuous fluidized-bed contactor with recycle of sorbent |
| T. Vo-Dinh | Articles of protective clothing adapted for detecting chemical permeation |
| J. Bates, N. Dudney | Method of making an electrolyte for an electrochemical cell |
| T. Vo-Dinh | Photoactivated luminescence sensor and method of detecting trichloroethylene and related volatile organochloride compounds |
| Devault, B. McConnell, B. Phillips | Hermetically sealed superconducting magnet motor |
| R. Lauf | Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells |
| M. Harris, O. Basaran, T. Kollie, K. Weaver | Silica powders for powder-evacuated thermal insulating panel and method |
| G. Eres, J. Sharp | Externally controlled closed-loop feedback apparatus for digital epitaxy |
| H. Haynes, J. Moyers, B. Stewart, D. Casada | Method and system for measuring gate valve clearances and seating force |
| M. Santella, V. Sikka | Intermetallic alloy welding wires and method for fabricating the same |
| T. Stovall, J. Tomlinson | System for energy-load management for heating and cooling of buildings |
| T. Vo-Dinh, A. Viallet | Chemical sensor probe for calcium and other metal ions |
| R. Tyndall, A. Vass | Methods of degrading napalm and trinitrotoluene |
| J. Moyers, H. Haynes | Method and apparatus for monitoring armature position in dc solenoids |
| L. Hively | Smart, passive sun-facing surfaces |
| D. Lowndes, J. McCamey | Method for continuous control of composition and doping of pulsed-laser deposited films |
| C. Scott, T. Scott, B. Faison, B. Davison, J. Woodward | Enhanced attrition bioreactor for enzyme hydrolysis of cellulosic materials |
| O. Basaran, M. Harris, W. Sisson, T. Scott | Improved nozzle for electric dispersion reactor |
| J. Bates, N. Dudney, K. Weatherspoon | Packaging material for thin-film lithium batteries |
| S. Smith, K. Castleberry | Motor current method for monitoring machine tool performance |
| D. Casada | Motor monitoring method and apparatus using high-frequency current components |
| H. Haynes | Monitoring method and apparatus using high-frequency carrier and method of forming electrical pathways in indium-tin-oxide coatings |
| G. Alton | Microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source with a large, uniformly distributed, axially symmetric, ECR plasma volume |
| A. Akerman, C. Ayers, H. Haynes | Ultrasonic speech translator and communication system |
| S. Rajic, J. Muhs | Smart material fiber-optic connecting method |
| J. Bates | Rechargeable lithium battery for uses requiring a low-to-high power output |
| L. Dickens, H. Haynes, C. Ayers | Method and apparatus for monitoring rotating aircraft components |
| P. Box | A robotic vehicle |
| E. Wachter, W. Fisher (ORAU) | Method and apparatus for evaluating structural weakness in polymer matrix composites |
| K. Alexander, T. Tiegs, P. Becher, S. Waters | Alumina-based ceramic composite |
| R. Lauf, D. Bible, et al. | Apparatus and method for processing of materials |
| P. Maziasz, G. Goodwin, C. Liu | High-temperature corrosion-resistant iron-aluminide alloys exhibiting improved weldability |
| T. Vo-Dinh et al. | Laser-induced differential normalized fluorescence method for cancer diagnosis |
| D. Casada | Method and apparatus for monitoring motor-operated valve motor output torque and power at valve seating |
| C. Britton | A method of pedestal and common-mode noise correction for switched-capacitor storage arrays |
| H. Haynes, C. Ayers, D. Casada | Instrument for analysis of electric motors based on slip-poles component |
| R. Taleyarkhan | Method to prevent or mitigate steam explosions in casting pits |
