Filter News
Area of Research
- Advanced Manufacturing (2)
- Biology and Environment (3)
- Building Technologies (3)
- Clean Energy (37)
- Computational Biology (1)
- Computer Science (2)
- Energy Sciences (1)
- Fusion and Fission (2)
- Fusion Energy (7)
- Isotopes (4)
- Materials (15)
- Materials for Computing (3)
- National Security (3)
- Neutron Science (6)
- Nuclear Science and Technology (7)
- Nuclear Systems Modeling, Simulation and Validation (1)
- Quantum information Science (1)
- Supercomputing (9)
News Type
News Topics
- (-) Advanced Reactors (13)
- (-) Biomedical (11)
- (-) Buildings (19)
- (-) Coronavirus (11)
- (-) Cybersecurity (3)
- (-) Energy Storage (31)
- (-) Frontier (1)
- (-) Isotopes (5)
- (-) Physics (4)
- (-) Space Exploration (10)
- 3-D Printing/Advanced Manufacturing (31)
- Artificial Intelligence (13)
- Big Data (16)
- Bioenergy (15)
- Biology (17)
- Biotechnology (3)
- Chemical Sciences (9)
- Clean Water (13)
- Climate Change (22)
- Composites (9)
- Computer Science (39)
- Critical Materials (12)
- Decarbonization (8)
- Environment (43)
- Exascale Computing (1)
- Fusion (9)
- Grid (20)
- High-Performance Computing (11)
- Hydropower (6)
- Irradiation (2)
- ITER (3)
- Machine Learning (10)
- Materials (35)
- Materials Science (33)
- Mathematics (1)
- Mercury (3)
- Microscopy (11)
- Molten Salt (5)
- Nanotechnology (12)
- National Security (3)
- Net Zero (1)
- Neutron Science (27)
- Nuclear Energy (19)
- Partnerships (1)
- Polymers (9)
- Quantum Computing (4)
- Quantum Science (10)
- Security (1)
- Simulation (7)
- Statistics (1)
- Summit (6)
- Sustainable Energy (44)
- Transportation (35)
Media Contacts
![Four thermometers are pictured across the top of the image with an image of a city in the bottom left, with a color block version of that city in the bottom right.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-06/buildingsTool08%20%281%29.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=xyBuoRLt)
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed free data sets to estimate how much energy any building in the contiguous U.S. will use in 2100. These data sets provide planners a way to anticipate future energy needs as the climate changes.
![Red background fading into black from top to bottom. Over top the background are 20 individual rectangles lined up in three rows horizontally with a red and blue line moving through it.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-05/cover_image.jpg?h=f61ad192&itok=-DQxXWM_)
ORNL scientists develop a sample holder that tumbles powdered photochemical materials within a neutron beamline — exposing more of the material to light for increased photo-activation and better photochemistry data capture.
![Blue background with three rectangles. The first and third silver rectangles are showing the inside metal part of a fridge with small alternating horizontal rectangles going down the side in darker grey/silver.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-05/refrigeration01.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=5PdFsnAa)
A technology developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory works to keep food refrigerated with phase change materials, or PCMs, while reducing carbon emissions by 30%.
![An international team using neutrons set the first benchmark (one nanosecond) for a polymer-electrolyte and lithium-salt mixture. Findings could produce safer, more powerful lithium batteries. Credit: Phoenix Pleasant/ORNL](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-04/roost.jpg?h=4f43c43c&itok=_42L5o3J)
An international team using neutrons set the first benchmark (one nanosecond) for a polymer-electrolyte and lithium-salt mixture. Findings could produce safer, more powerful lithium batteries.
![An encapsulation system developed by ORNL researchers prevents salt hydrates, which are environmentally friendly thermal energy storage materials, from leaking and advances their use in heating and cooling applications. Credit: Andy Sproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-02/injection03.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=i7T5oyDo)
ORNL researchers have developed a novel way to encapsulate salt hydrate phase-change materials within polymer fibers through a coaxial pulling process. The discovery could lead to the widespread use of the low-carbon materials as a source of insulation for a building’s envelope.
![Caption: Jaswinder Sharma makes battery coin cells with a lightweight current collector made of thin layers of aligned carbon fibers in a polymer with carbon nanotubes. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-01/sharma1_1.jpg?h=f7dae89e&itok=JiSsMewF)
Electric vehicles can drive longer distances if their lithium-ion batteries deliver more energy in a lighter package. A prime weight-loss candidate is the current collector, a component that often adds 10% to the weight of a battery cell without contributing energy.
![ORNL researchers found that a polyelectrolyte additive can improve the stability and performance of a salt hydrate PCM, enhancing the potential for use in heat pumps. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-11/HP_liquid_storytip02%5B97%5D_0.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=iGZRyRQC)
ORNL researchers demonstrated that an additive made from polymers and electrolytes improves the thermal performance and stability of salt hydrate phase change materials, or PCMs, a finding that could advance their integration into carbon-reducing heat pumps.
![Researchers have shown how an all-solid lithium-based electrolyte material can be used to develop fast charging, long-range batteries for electric vehicles that are also safer than conventional designs. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-10/Lui_solid_state_0.png?h=27870e4a&itok=hd5IA-bH)
Currently, the biggest hurdle for electric vehicles, or EVs, is the development of advanced battery technology to extend driving range, safety and reliability.
![ORNL researcher Zhijia Du inserts a newly developed liquid electrolyte material into a battery pouch cell. The formulation extends the life of extreme-fast-charging batteries like those used in electric vehicles. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-09/du_0.jpg?h=d228da7b&itok=k918MIXQ)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers are taking fast charging for electric vehicles, or EVs, to new extremes. A team of battery scientists recently developed a lithium-ion battery material that not only recharges 80% of its capacity in 10
![ORNL researchers have developed a new pressing method, shown as blue circle on right, that produces a more uniform solid electrolyte than the traditionally processed material with more voids, shown as gray circle on left. The material can be integrated into a battery system, center, for improved stability and rate performance. Credit: Andy Sproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-06/Electrolyte.StoryTip_0.png?h=b6717701&itok=PIYcf5iS)
ORNL scientists found that a small tweak created big performance improvements in a type of solid-state battery, a technology considered vital to broader electric vehicle adoption.