Awards
2009
- American Ceramic Society Robert L. Coble Award for Young Scholars Sergei Kalinin
- American Nuclear Society Mishima Award
Louis Mansur - Materials Research Society New Fellow
Lynn A Boatner - Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society New Fellow
Michael (Mike) Miller - Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
Gary Baker - Society of Manufacturing Engineers John G. Bollinger Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award
Jun Qu
R&D 100 Awards
Researchers from ORNL received recognition for the following inventions:
2009
Alumina-forming austenitic, dubbed AFA, stainless steels, invented and submitted by a team led by Michael Brady of ORNL's Materials Science and Technology Division.
AFA stainless steels boast an increased upper-temperature oxidation, or corrosion, limit that is 100 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit higher than that of conventional stainless steels. These new alloys deliver this superior oxidation resistance with high-temperature strengths approaching that of far more expensive nickel-based alloys without sacrificing the typical lower cost, formability and weldability of conventional stainless steels. These new alloys have applications ranging from gas turbines and power plants to chemical and petrochemical processing equipment.
Funding for this research was provided by the Department of Energy's Fossil Energy Advanced Research Materials Program and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Mass-Independent Kinetic-Energy-Reducing Inlet System for Mass Spectrometers, developed and submitted by Peter Reilly of ORNL's Chemical Sciences Division.
This technology permits high-resolution mass analysis of large, intact biological molecules without having to break them apart. With this spectrometer, the large biomolecular ions are captured in a trapping field while air is pumped away. Conventional spectrometers pump most of the ions away with the air, making them less sensitive. This mass spectrometer delivers much higher resolution in the high mass range compared to conventional spectrometers. For specific use in the medical field, the mass spectrometer can be developed to rapidly image a tumor and define the boundaries so the tumor can be most effectively treated.
Funding for this project was provided through the Partnership Directorate's maturation funds program.
MELCOT: Methodology for Estimating the Life of Power Line Conductor-Connector Systems Operating at High Temperatures, submitted by Jy-An John Wang of ORNL Materials Science and Technology Division, Edgar Lara-Curzio of the Materials Science and Technology Division, Thomas King Jr. of the Energy Efficiency and Electricity Technologies Program, jointly with John Chan of the Electric Power Research Institute, Joe Graziano of the Tennessee Valley Authority and Tip Goodwin III of PBS&J.
This technology predicts the service life of conductor-connector systems. The splices connecting the conductor lines are literally the weak links in power transmission systems. With this new method of investigating performance and integrity of the power line systems, researchers can develop more durable and reliable systems for the electric power grid. Power grid operators can maintain power flow and prevent potential grid failures, and effectively reroute power distribution during emergency or natural disasters.
Funding for this research was provided by ORNL and Electric Power Research Institute.
PulseForge 3100, jointly submitted by Stan Farnsworth of NovaCentrix and a team led by Chad Duty of ORNL's Materials Science and Technology Division.
The PulseForge 3100 uses rapid pulses of light for high-speed drying, curing, sintering or annealing high temperature materials on plastic and paper, enabling inexpensive and flexible electronics. With the PulseForge 3100, high intensity flashlamps briefly heat inks and films to controlled high temperatures. The PulseForge and Pulse Thermal Processing systems provide a thousand-fold increase in the energy flux that is available to the surface of the processed part - cutting processing times to fractions of a second.
Funding for this development was primarily through the Industrial Technology Program within the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) program and through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Superconducting "Wires" by Epitaxial Growth on SSIFFS, invented and submitted by a team led by Amit Goyal of ORNL's Materials Science and Technology Division.
Superconducting wires are flexible, single-crystal, high-temperature cables that enable high-performance advantages for electric power grid applications. These cables are different because they are round, rather than flat like conventional wires, which lowers heat loss and eliminates energy loss, making longer transmission lengths possible. Superconducting wires can carry five times more power than copper cables and are capable of long-distance power transmission, interconnecting entire continents and providing local energy storage. For a specific device or design, wires can be bundled into larger dimension wires of any shape.
Funding for this project was provided by Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
Thermomagnetic processing technology, developed and jointly submitted by a large team from ORNL, Eaton Corporation, American Magnetics, Inc., and AJAX TOCCO Magnethermic Corporation. Gerard Ludtka and Gail Mackiewicz-Ludtka led the ORNL contingent.
Thermomagnetic processing technology could revolutionize the U.S. heat-treating industry with reduced energy and processing costs. This technology enhances materials performance with an 85 percent higher stretch capability strength, enabling lighter weight designs. Thermomagnetic processing technology uses superconducting magnets to cut down on energy use in the typical heat treat processing. High magnetic fields processing reduces residual stress (post-heat treating stress) and eliminates material phases, thus eliminating specialized thermal processing steps.
Funding for this research was provided by Department of Energy's Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program, DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Industrial Technology Program, Toyota, Eaton, AMI and Ajax-TOCCO.
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