Physical Sciences Directorate

Delivering scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs

The Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) delivers scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs that will help realize solutions in energy and national security and provide economic benefit to the nation. Our portfolio includes materials science and engineering, chemistry, geoscience, nanoscience, soft matter science, analytical chemistry, and nuclear and particle physics applied to a broad range of scientific and technical challenges. PSD-led research plays a key role in the major cross-laboratory initiatives at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with activities that encourage translational research relying on interdisciplinary teams. 

Our scientists work in a collaborative environment to develop composites and alloys to withstand the extreme environments in nuclear fission and fusion reactors, understand why there is more matter than antimatter in the universe, design new catalysts for abundant and affordable energy, support the search for new superheavy elements, develop strong lightweight materials for transportation, enable safer high-performance solid-state batteries, develop self-healing polymers for reducing energy loss in buildings, and advance new materials for quantum sensing and quantum computing. 

Our R&D portfolio spans from scientific discovery to technology transfer. It integrates precise synthesis and advanced processing methods with theory, modeling and simulation, and state-of-the art characterization tools, using ORNL’s signature strengths in high-performance computing, data science, and neutron scattering. PSD is also home to the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences.

Over the next decade, PSD will deliver the foundational knowledge needed for the discovery, design, synthesis, and fabrication of next-generation materials with novel structures, properties, and function to address pressing energy, environmental, and national security challenges. We will deliver fundamental insight regarding chemical transformations and energy flow in systems and provide an understanding of the origin and nature of matter. We will move beyond current approaches to scientific discovery and drive a “science of the future” strategy by integrating high-performance computing, data science, and artificial intelligence with materials synthesis, fabrication, and characterization to accelerate the innovation cycle. We will take advantage of advances in precision synthesis, quantum information science, neutron scattering, and characterization across length and time scales to redefine how the world makes, understands, and uses materials.

Discover current opportunities to join our team.