Getting single molecules of semiconducting polymers to orient themselves vertically on a glass surface is more than just a novelty, says Mike Barnes of the lab's Chemical Sciences Division. It turns out that the discovery could have applications in a number of areas, including for nanoscale electron...
Arrays of nanofibers able to deliver genetic material to cells quickly and efficiently have researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory excited about potential applications for drug delivery, gene therapy, crop engineering and environmental monitoring.Tim McKnight of ORNL's Engineering Science and...
Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, ORNL researchers have developed several sophisticated airborne sensor systems that can detect, characterize and digitally map unexploded material - including items buried as deeply as 30 feet into the ground. These systems have applications for the military as e...
Loss of energy and efficiency due to friction costs the economy billions of dollars annually. Controlling friction in large-scale systems has traditionally been done with lubricants. However, lubricant behavior changes drastically and for the worse when the size of the lubricant film is of the order...
An experimental natural-gas-powered fuel cell about to be tested by ORNL researchers at an 83,000-square-foot federal user center near Knoxville may serve as a model for more efficient production of electricity to supply large office buildings. Project managers believe the fuel cell will meet at lea...
ORNL researchers and partners around the nation hope to determine which poplar genes are responsible for below-ground carbon sequestration. Soil accounts for the greatest proportion of carbon stored in terrestrial systems, totaling more than plant sources and annual average atmospheric inputs combin...
A facility to test a conductor that may lead to the more efficient and reliable transmission of electricity is in operation at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a series of events and activities planned to help preserve the lab's history, thank the community and honor ORNL's past and present staff.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working to develop and evaluate the use of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite combustor liners as a replacement material for metallic liners to improve operating performance of natural-gas-fired industrial turbines. Several long-term engine tes...
Carbon nanotubes hold great promise for applications ranging from miniaturized drug delivery systems to lightweight structural material for aircraft, spacecraft and suspension bridges. The hollow, spaghetti-like tubes promise to replace steel with structural materials that are 100 times stronger and...