Feature Articles

Scientific computing experts at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have selected the first nine research projects that will run on Discovery, the nation’s next flagship supercomputer, slated for deployment in 2028. The projects will be developed through the Discovery Center for Accelerated Application Readiness program at ORNL’s Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility. The program is designed to ensure that a suite of leading-edge scientific applications is optimized and ready to deliver results as soon as Discovery becomes operational.

- ORNL researchers have developed advanced tools to immediately detect abnormal power grid conditions that lead to wildfires, equipment damage and blackouts. 

- The approach incorporates artificial intelligence to rapidly analyze grid data and automatically alert a utility to dangerous grid behaviors requiring immediate response. 

- ORNL is partnering with utility Southern California Edison (SCE) to validate the technology against five years of field-collected data.

ORNL tested two aluminum alloys — cast ACMZ (AlCuMnZr) and printed DuAlumin3D — in a prototype GM engine. The materials enabled a more-than-10-percent improvement in fuel efficiency and a 15-percent reduction in weight without sacrificing strength or durability. 

Instead of letting old lithium-ion batteries pile up as waste, Sandia National Laboratories researchers have developed a microwave-based process to recover and remake their cathodes, potentially turning spent batteries into a new domestic source of critical materials.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have introduced an innovation in additive manufacturing by integrating origami-inspired 3D printing techniques with hybrid composites. By eliminating the need for molds to fabricate a part, this process produces lightweight, cost-efficient structures with faster build times and greater adaptability.

James “Jim” E. Serafin Jr. has been named director of the Facilities and Operations Directorate at ORNL. In this role, he will oversee the infrastructure, services, safety, and modernization efforts that support ORNL’s expanding research mission. Serafin brings extensive leadership experience in facilities management, laboratory modernization, and strategic planning, having previously led ORNL’s Facilities Management and Laboratory Modernization divisions.

Methanol has long shown promise as a marine fuel, but reliably igniting it in diesel engines has remained a challenge. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Caterpillar demonstrated a dual-fuel approach that enables diesel engines to operate on more than 75% methanol without sacrificing performance while maintaining fuel flexibility. The work could expand fuel options for commercial shipping and other marine applications.

Once a tunnel is constructed, it can be difficult to locate from the surface. Traditionally, researchers have used sensing technologies such as seismic surveys, ground-penetrating radar, and electrical resistivity, but these methods can be limited, especially in clay-rich soils or complex subsurface environments. ORNL scientists have demonstrated a new method to reveal hidden underground structures using acoustic signals generated below ground.

At Sandia National Laboratories’ National Solar Thermal Test Facility, engineers helped NASA prepare for that critical phase by recreating flight-like heating on large test articles to qualify Dragonfly’s heat shield thermal protection system. Sandia and NASA recently completed the sixth and final solar-tower test campaign at the facility, capping a multiyear effort that began in 2023. 

Sandia National Laboratories and the nuclear security enterprise complete production of the W88 Alteration 370.