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  Scientists applied a simple approach for growing hBN films on the surface of ubiquitous steels and other metal alloys to “armor” them and thus increase their capabilities. Credit: Adam Malin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Researchers demonstrated that stainless steel and other metal alloys coated with hexagonal boron nitride, or hBN, exhibit non-stick or low-friction qualities along with improved long-term protection against harsh corrosion and high-temperature.

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

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.

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An average house in the United States can be framed with wood harvested from one-third acre of forest or with steel recycled from six old cars. Wood has been the traditional choice because of cost and thermal efficiency. Now Jan Kosny and other scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have made s...
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Soldiers, the elderly and handicapped alike will get a big assist with exoskeleton technology being developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and partners. The goal of the project is to enhance the load carrying capability, mobility and endurance of the land warrior and others. For the military, th...
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Laboratory chemicals with dated shelf lives can become dangerous if not carefully monitored. Paul Ewing and other researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a special storage cabinet system to enhance inventory and tracking of such chemicals and other similar high-risk assets throug...
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Law enforcement agencies could have another way to trace the origin of anthrax and other chemical or biological agents with a technique being developed by researchers in ORNL's Chemical Sciences Division. The novel fingerprinting system takes advantage of stable isotopes, which are found in our bodi...
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory's 300,000-watt plasma arc lamp and a touch of science could help the Army solve a problem that's causing major casualties to heavy artillery barrels. The problem is that normal wear from projectiles, propellants and combustion gases causes fatigue, erosion and corrosion...
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ORNL's water sentinel enlists the help of naturally occurring algae biosensors to serve as a first-alert warning system for chemical warfare attacks on water supplies. The system, developed by scientists in the lab's Chemical Sciences Division, works by detecting toxic chemicals in reservoirs, river...
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Researchers at ORNL and Sandia National Laboratories are attacking the problem of soldiers and noncombatants killed by friendly fire using technologies that will help them better understand the battlefield and battle space. The Combat ID analysis will focus on ground, air and soldier detection and i...
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Paper mills across the country have more reliable and efficient recovery boilers because of ORNL and partners. The problem faced by numerous paper mills was that their recovery boilers, which burn organic waste to generate steam and electric power for the mills, were developing cracks. Repairs or re...