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As demand for energy-intensive computing grows, researchers at ORNL have developed a new technique that lets scientists see how interfaces move in promising materials for computing and other applications. The method, now available to users at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL, could help design dramatically more energy-efficient technologies.

As demand for energy-intensive computing grows, researchers at ORNL have developed a new technique that lets scientists see how interfaces move in promising materials for computing and other applications. The method, now available to users at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL, could help design dramatically more energy-efficient technologies.

Microbiologist and entrepreneur Jesse Labbé excels at cultivating discovery and innovation. As the new director of the Biosciences Division at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, he’s leading a team focused on science and technologies to boost U.S. competitiveness, strengthen national and energy security and advance human health.

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a vacuum-assisted extrusion method that reduces internal porosity — by up to 75% — in large-scale 3D-printed polymer parts. Large-scale additive manufacturing has been hindered by internal porosity that weaken printed components. Reducing porosity is key to improving overall performance. ORNL researchers tackled this challenge with a novel approach: integrating a vacuum hopper during the extrusion process to remove trapped gases and minimize void formation in fiber-reinforced materials.

To create a more resilient electric grid that meets the nation’s increasing power demands, utilities are incorporating a wider array of energy sources. But this shift requires the ability to predict how the grid will react to fluctuations in the flow of electricity from new sources of power. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a dynamic modeling method that uses machine learning to provide accurate simulations of grid behavior while maintaining what is called a “black box” approach. This technique does not require details about the proprietary technology inside the equipment — in this case, a type of power electronics called an inverter. 

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Colorado Boulder used a gene-silencing tool and a large library of molecular guides to understand how photosynthetic bacteria adapt to light and temperature changes. They found that even partial suppression of certain genes yielded big benefits in modifying the stress response of wild microbes. 

ORNL has developed a network of autonomous science laboratories outfitted with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and robotic systems and connected to the lab’s world-class user facilities. The goal is to supercharge the research process while producing scientific breakthroughs that would be unachievable in a traditional setting.

Five scientists from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, one of the world’s largest general scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals.

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Cincinnati achieved a breakthrough in understanding the vulnerability of microbes to the butanol they produce during fermentation of plant biomass. The discovery could pave the way for more efficient production of domestic fuels, chemicals and materials.

Miaofang Chi and Rigoberto “Gobet” Advincula, both researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have been elected as Class of 2025 Fellows of the Materials Research Society, or MRS. Chi also holds a joint appointment at Duke University, and Advincula is jointly appointed at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.