U.S. Department of Energy Research News

Public Release: 11-Jun-2013

Nano Letters
'Popcorn' particle pathways promise better lithium-ion batteries
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have confirmed the particle-by-particle mechanism by which lithium ions move in and out of electrodes made of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, or LFP), findings that could lead to better performance in lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, medical equipment and aircraft. The research is reported in te journal Nano Letters, 2013, 13 (3), pp 866-872.

Public Release: 30-May-2013
Sandia, SRI International sign pact to advance hydrogen and natural gas research for transportation
Sandia National Laboratories and SRI International, an independent research and innovation center, will join forces to explore, test and evaluate a broad range of hydrogen and natural gas fuel systems and components for transportation applications under a new agreement. The five-year memorandum of understanding is the first agreement in Sandia's new Center for Infrastructure Research and Innovation, an alternative fuel research and innovation facility.

Public Release: 28-May-2013
Key hydrogen report now available on OpenEnergyInfo wiki site
As part of the Open Government initiative launched by the Obama Administration, Sandia National Laboratories' Technical Reference on Hydrogen Compatibility of Materials has made its debut on the Energy Dataset of OpenEnergyInfo, or OpenEI. This will make the publication more widely available and easier to access.

DOE Fuel Cells Technologies Office

Public Release: 21-May-2013
Army Ground Combat Systems adopts Sandia tool for choosing future warfighting vehicles
Sandia National Laboratories, working closely with the Army and other contractors, has developed key components of a software tool to help the Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems analyze countless what-if scenarios that can be manipulated as technology advances and the global environment, the federal budget or other factors change. Sandia calls this advanced combination of modeling, simulation and optimization decision support software the Capability Portfolio Analysis Tool.

US Army

Public Release: 23-Apr-2013
Fertilizer that fizzles in a homemade bomb could save lives around the world
A Sandia engineer who trained US soldiers to avoid improvised explosive devices has developed a fertilizer that helps plants grow but can't detonate a bomb.

Public Release: 16-Apr-2013
Softening steel problem expands computer model applications
Sandia National Laboratories worked with the National Nuclear Security Administration's Kansas City Plant on the rapid design of an annealing process to soften stainless steel tubing.

Public Release: 11-Apr-2013

Science
Researchers measure reaction rates of second key atmospheric component
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories' Combustion Research Facility, the University of Manchester, Bristol University, University of Southampton and Hong Kong Polytechnic have successfully measured reaction rates of a second Criegee intermediate, CH3CHOO, and proven that the reactivity of the atmospheric chemical depends strongly on which way the molecule is twisted.

US Department of Energy

Public Release: 9-Apr-2013
Better monitoring and diagnostics tackle algae biofuel pond crash problem
Sandia National Laboratories is developing a suite of complementary technologies to help the emerging algae industry detect and quickly recover from algal pond crashes, an obstacle to large-scale algae cultivation for future biofuels. The research, which focuses on monitoring and diagnosing algal pond health, draws upon Sandia's longstanding expertise in microfluidics technology, its strong bioscience research program and significant internal investments.

Public Release: 2-Apr-2013
New instrument will quickly detect botulinum, ricin, other biothreat agents
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are developing a medical instrument that will be able to quickly detect a suite of biothreat agents, including anthrax, ricin, botulinum, shiga and SEB toxin. Sandia's work is funded by a recent grant -- nearly $4 million over four years -- from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

National Institutes of Health

Public Release: 25-Mar-2013
Science of soot lands Hope Michelsen in Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame
Sandia National Laboratories scientist Hope Michelsen, who peers through atmospheric soot to learn about the air we breathe, has been named by the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame as the 2013 Outstanding Woman in Science. She is the first Sandia employee to receive this award.

Public Release: 20-Mar-2013
New book highlights pressing need for hydrogen-powered vehicles
Sandia National Laboratories reveals the breadth of its hydrogen fuel expertise in the recently published "Hydrogen Storage Technology -- Materials and Applications." Sandia researcher Lennie Klebanoff is confident that the book's content will give readers a sense of urgency about the need to get zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road, and to get other hydrogen-based power equipment into the marketplace.

Public Release: 19-Mar-2013
Alloy developed at Sandia National Laboratories has potential for electronics in wells
An alloy that may improve high-temperature electronics in oil, gas and geothermal wells fills a unique niche.

Public Release: 1-Mar-2013
Report spotlights Sandia's impact on economy
Sandia National Laboratories spent roughly $900 million on goods and services in fiscal year 2012 and New Mexico businesses were awarded more than $400 million, or 45 percent, of the total, according to the labs' latest economic impact report.

Public Release: 1-Mar-2013
Disabled kids inspire musical instrument anyone can play
A Taos, N.M., musician, working with a Sandia National Laboratories scientist, has created a way for people to make music without the kind of physical skill it normally takes to play an instrument.

Public Release: 20-Feb-2013
Cool Earth Solar and Sandia team up in first-ever public-private partnership on Open Campus
In a public-private partnership that takes full advantage of the Livermore Valley Open Campus for the first time, Sandia National Laboratories and Cool Earth Solar have signed an agreement that could make solar energy more affordable and accessible.