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Materials Science
When iron meets titanium: Discovery of quasicrystalline-like grain boundary phases in alloys
The interfaces between individual crystals in a material, known as grain boundaries (GBs), play a critical role in dictating the strength, durability and overall performance of a material. For this reason, GB phase transitions — abrupt changes at a material’s interface resulting in distinct structures and properties — are becoming increasingly recognized as a new frontier…
LLNL-led team receives ARPA-E funding for technology to enable fusion power plants
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has awarded a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)-led team $3.4 million to develop new alloys for first wall fusion reactors and enable commercial fusion energy. The funding came through ARPA-E’s Creating Hardened And Durable fusion first Wall Incorporating Centralized Knowledge …
New technique enhances absorptivity of powders for metal 3D printing
In a significant advancement for metal additive manufacturing, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and their academic partners have developed a groundbreaking technique that enhances the optical absorptivity of metal powders used in 3D printing. The innovative approach, which involves creating nanoscale surface features on metal powders, promises…
New research could extend the lifetime of key carbon-capture materials
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the stability of amine-functionalized porous solid materials, a crucial component in Direct Air Capture (DAC) carbon-capture technologies. This new research,…
Getting into the details of carbon accounting
Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is essential for climate change mitigation, but no single standardized methodology exists for evaluating project-level net carbon removal from the atmosphere. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and collaborators from Lawrence Berkeley and National Renewable Energy national laboratories and UC Berkeley, have looked into the…
LLNL looks to revolutionize 3D printing through microwave technology
In the rapidly evolving world of 3D printing, the pursuit of faster, more efficient and versatile production methods is never-ending. Traditional 3D printing techniques, while groundbreaking, are often time-consuming and limited in the kinds of materials they can use as feedstock. But, through a new process a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) team is calling…
LLNL researchers unleash machine learning in designing advanced lattice structures
Characterized by their intricate patterns and hierarchical designs, lattice structures hold immense potential for revolutionizing industries ranging from aerospace to biomedical engineering, due to their versatility and customizability. However, the complexity of these structures and the vast design space they encompass have posed significant hurdles for engineers and…
LLNL wins three 2024 technology commercialization grants
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers continue to capture key Department of Energy (DOE) Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) grants with three new project grants announced in 2024. This year’s TCF program focuses on funding projects aimed at delivering clean energy solutions to the market — using new technology commercialized from DOE national labs…
Meet LLNL interns: Exploring work culture and environment
Each year, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) welcomes hundreds of interns across its various directorates. These interns receive practical experience in their fields of interest within a stimulating environment. As early career professionals in training, they collaborate with their mentors and participate in projects that develop their skills in their…
Unveiling the key factors that determine properties of porous polymer materials
Determining the relationship between microstructure features and their properties is crucial for improving material performance and advancing the design of next-generation structural and functional materials. However, this task is inherently challenging. To address the challenges, LLNL scientists developed an efficient and comprehensive computational framework to decipher…
Chemical production gets a cleaner boost
A new electrochemical method can make chemical production cleaner and more energy-efficient. Using thin film nickel anodes, a team of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and collaborators have figured out how to clean up chemical production. When studying a new electrochemical reaction, using thin films is important because they give a consistent…
It’s getting hot in here: lasers deliver powerful shocking punch
Shock experiments are widely used to understand the mechanical and electronic properties of matter under extreme conditions, like planetary impacts by meteorites. However, after the shock occurs, a clear description of the post-shock thermal state and its impacts on material properties is still lacking. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists used ultra…
Molecules get a boost from metallic carbon nanotubes
A Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) team has found that pure metallic carbon nanotubes are best at transporting molecules. Molecule separations play an ever-increasing role in modern technology from water desalination to harvesting critical materials to high-value chemicals and pharmaceuticals manufacturing. To enhance water and proton transport, LLNL…
Chemical and transportation industries could get a boost with new catalyst coating
Coupling electrochemical conversion of the greenhouse gas CO2 with renewable electricity sources — such as solar and wind — promises green production of high-demand chemicals and transportation fuels. Carbon dioxide coupling products such as ethylene, ethanol and acetic acid are particularly useful as feedstocks for the chemical industry and powering vehicles. While…
Probing carbon capture, atom-by-atom
A team of scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed a machine-learning model to gain an atomic-level understanding of CO2 capture in amine-based sorbents. This innovative approach promises to enhance the efficiency of direct air capture (DAC) technologies, which are crucial for reducing the excessive amounts of CO2 already present in the…
Confined water gets electric
When water gets inside nanopores with sizes below 10 nanometers, new physics emerge: new phases of ice were observed and ultrafast proton transport was measured. Confined water also plays a role in biology, where aquaporins cross cellular membranes to allow specific transport of water and other small molecules through nanometer-scale channels. However, this field lacks a…
Zebra stripes of material interfaces
Pattern formation and self-assembly are fundamental to many natural and technological phenomena spanning various fields of science—from physics and biology to chemistry and materials science. These processes involve the emergence of organized periodic structures in systems due to interactions at different scales. Oftentimes, very simple interactions can lead to complex and…
Unravelling the chemistry of heavy elements
Molecular compounds with heavy elements, like americium, curium and others can now be synthesized in a streamlined and efficient way thanks to a new technique developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers. The new pathway can help scientists perform serial chemistry with radioactive elements and could be used to speed up R&D for nuclear waste…
Nano-confinement may be key to improving hydrogen production
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have discovered a new mechanism that can boost the efficiency of hydrogen production through water splitting. This research, published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, was featured on the journal cover and provides new insights into the behavior of water reactivity and proton transfer under extreme…
Lawrence Livermore celebrates employees with 50-plus years of service
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) recently honored a unique cohort of Laboratory employees: those who have worked at the Lab for more than 50 years, including those who will reach this milestone by the end of the year. The first-of-its-kind ceremony recognized the group’s incredible contributions over decades of commitment to the Lab’s missions. “It is amazing…
