![Debjani Singh](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_square_large/public/2024-08/2024-P12408.jpg?h=8f9cfe54&itok=bP5F6U4Y)
Filter News
Area of Research
News Topics
- (-) Critical Materials (12)
- 3-D Printing/Advanced Manufacturing (31)
- Advanced Reactors (13)
- Artificial Intelligence (13)
- Big Data (17)
- Bioenergy (16)
- Biology (18)
- Biomedical (11)
- Biotechnology (3)
- Buildings (20)
- Chemical Sciences (11)
- Clean Water (13)
- Climate Change (23)
- Composites (9)
- Computer Science (40)
- Coronavirus (11)
- Cybersecurity (3)
- Decarbonization (10)
- Energy Storage (31)
- Environment (44)
- Exascale Computing (1)
- Fossil Energy (1)
- Frontier (1)
- Fusion (9)
- Grid (21)
- High-Performance Computing (11)
- Hydropower (6)
- Irradiation (2)
- Isotopes (5)
- ITER (3)
- Machine Learning (12)
- Materials (35)
- Materials Science (34)
- Mathematics (2)
- Mercury (3)
- Microscopy (11)
- Molten Salt (5)
- Nanotechnology (12)
- National Security (3)
- Net Zero (2)
- Neutron Science (27)
- Nuclear Energy (19)
- Partnerships (1)
- Physics (4)
- Polymers (9)
- Quantum Computing (4)
- Quantum Science (10)
- Security (1)
- Simulation (7)
- Space Exploration (10)
- Statistics (1)
- Summit (6)
- Sustainable Energy (45)
- Transportation (35)
Media Contacts
![A tan and black cylinder that is made up of three long tubes vertically with a black line horizontally going across the bottom and the top. There is a piece laying on the floor that says ORNL.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2024-05/0N4A1403.jpg?h=193fc484&itok=LG0sANT8)
ORNL researchers used electron-beam additive manufacturing to 3D-print the first complex, defect-free tungsten parts with complex geometries.
![Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered a tug-of-war strategy to enhance chemical separations needed to recover critical materials. Credit: Alex Ivanov/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-04/lanthanide.png?h=41c68e13&itok=KvT1ZLJo)
ORNL scientists combined two ligands, or metal-binding molecules, to target light and heavy lanthanides simultaneously for exceptionally efficient separation.
![Researchers observe T-shaped cluster drives lanthanide separation system during liquid-liquid extraction. Credit: Alex Ivanov/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-02/image_1.png?h=b69e0e0e&itok=1tyDrWMw)
Researchers at ORNL zoomed in on molecules designed to recover critical materials via liquid-liquid extraction — a method used by industry to separate chemically similar elements.
![Researchers captured atomic-level insights on the rare-earth mineral monazite to inform future design of flotation collector molecules, illustrated above, that can aid in the recovery of critical materials. Credit: Chad Malone/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-01/float.jpg?h=60f9f39d&itok=i2CRqyBK)
Critical Materials Institute researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Arizona State University studied the mineral monazite, an important source of rare-earth elements, to enhance methods of recovering critical materials for energy, defense and manufacturing applications.
![Researchers used quantum Monte Carlo calculations to accurately render the structure and electronic properties of germanium selenide, a semiconducting nanomaterial. Credit: Paul Kent/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-09/ECP-storytip_0.png?h=e58db2e8&itok=ZzbB2Z-f)
A multi-lab research team led by ORNL's Paul Kent is developing a computer application called QMCPACK to enable precise and reliable predictions of the fundamental properties of materials critical in energy research.
![Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Ramesh Bhave partnered with Momentum Technologies to develop a modular, scalable system for recycling scrap permanent magnets in e-waste. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-08/ewastescraps-crop2.jpg?h=384d27f0&itok=7JYmPXOp)
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Momentum Technologies have piloted an industrial-scale process for recycling valuable materials in the millions of tons of e-waste generated annually in the United States.
![Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists are enhancing the performance of polymer materials for next-generation lithium batteries. Credit: Adam Malin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-06/cover_Bryantsev.png?h=320a590f&itok=7jkQE5Zm)
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using state-of-the-art methods to shed light on chemical separations needed to recover rare-earth elements and secure critical materials for clean energy technologies.
![ORNL’s green solvent enables environmentally friendly recycling of valuable Li-ion battery materials. Credit: Andy Sproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-06/metal_03.jpg?h=5510f2c5&itok=X9YPqOe5)
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a solvent that results in a more environmentally friendly process to recover valuable materials from used lithium-ion batteries, supports a stable domestic supply chain for new batteries
![The proposed Battery Identity Global Passport suggests a scannable QR code or other digital tag affixed to Li-ion batteries to identify materials for efficient end-of-life recycling. Credit: Andy Sproles, ORNL/U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-03/batteryRecycle3_0.png?h=53ec4ef3&itok=3cQV5K4R)
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have devised a method to identify the unique chemical makeup of every lithium-ion battery around the world, information that could accelerate recycling, recover critical materials and resolve a growing waste stream.
![Reaching rare earths_v2.png Reaching rare earths_v2.png](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Reaching%20rare%20earths_v2.png?itok=Zz2arLKz)
Scientists from the Critical Materials Institute used the Titan supercomputer and Eos computing cluster at ORNL to analyze designer molecules that could increase the yield of rare earth elements found in bastnaesite, an important mineral