Timothy C. Scott of the Chemical Technology Division at Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL) will be recognized for his development of a new solvent extraction device called the emulsion phase contactor. The technology, which uses a pulsed electrical field to contact oil and water mixtures for chemical separations applications, has been licensed through technology transfer to two companies. Analytical Bio-Chemistry Labs of Columbia, Mo., has developed the technology for use in analytical laboratory equipment, and National Tank Company of Tulsa, Okla., is incorporating it into large-scale processing systems for the metals and petroleum industries.
Tuan Vo-Dinh of ORNL's Health Sciences Research division will be recognized for his development of a new optical data storage method known as SERODS, a technology for large-memory optical disk storage based on the surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect. The four-year-long technology transfer process that resulted in SERODS licensing was aided by the efforts of the other award winners: M. Guven Yalcintas, formerly of the Office of Technology Transfer; R. Russell Miller, Office of Technology Transfer. L. Wayne Scarbrough, formerly of ORNL's Public Affairs Office; and Lou Lome, Department of Defense - Ballistic Missile Defense Organization.
The SERODS technology has been licensed to two companies: Photronix, Inc., Hamtramck, Mich., a company that produces electro-optic products; and World Library, Inc., Irvine, Calif., producers of educational compact disks.
The FLC consists of representatives from more than 600 research and development laboratories and centers representing 16 government agencies. Consortium participants regularly attempt to enhance the transfer of new technologies developed at federal facilities to domestic users in industry as well as state and local governments. These six award recipients were among 30 winners selected by the FLC from 3,500 entries.
Martin Marietta Energy Systems manages three Department of Energy facilities, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge K-25 Site and the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant.