Feature Articles

It would be a challenge for any scientist to match Alexey Serov’s rate of inventions related to green hydrogen fuel. Serov, a researcher at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has 84 patents with at least 35 more under review, so his electrifying pace is unlikely to slow down any time soon.

Serov’s research focuses on the materials and performance of fuel cells that power electric vehicles or buildings by converting hydrogen and oxygen into heat, water and electricity. Fuel cells create energy through an electrochemical reaction rather than by burning liquid fuel like gasoline or diesel.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory became the first to 3D-print large rotating steam turbine blades for generating energy in power plants. Led by partner Siemens Technology, the U.S. research and development hub of Siemens AG, the project demonstrates that wire arc additive manufacturing is viable for the scalable production of critical components exceeding 25 pounds. These parts have traditionally been made using casting and forging facilities that have mostly moved abroad.

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used their knowledge of complex ecosystem processes, energy systems, human dynamics, computational science and Earth-scale modeling to inform the nation’s latest National Climate Assessment, which draws attention to vulnerabilities and resilience opportunities in every region of the country.

Making room for the world’s first exascale supercomputer took some supersized renovations.

Frontier still holds the title of world’s fastest supercomputer after new TOP500 lists came out in November 2022, June 2023, and this week, and OLCF engineers expect further tuning to coax even faster speeds from its processors. But the team that broke the exascale barrier knows that distinction can’t last forever.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been leading a project to understand how a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, could threaten power plants.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists identified a gene “hotspot” in the poplar tree that triggers dramatically increased root growth. The discovery supports development of better bioenergy crops and other plants that can thrive in difficult conditions while storing more carbon belowground.

To better understand important dynamics at play in flood-prone coastal areas, Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists working on simulations of Earth’s carbon and nutrient cycles paid a visit to experimentalists gathering data in a Texas wetland. There, the return of a key mangrove species holds important clues to current and future climate impacts in coastal ecosystems.

Stephen Streiffer began his tenure as director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory with a focus on enabling staff members, an awareness of the laboratory’s rich history and a commitment to addressing the most significant scientific and technical challenges.

New research has shown how a novel lithium-based electrolyte material, Li9N2Cl3, can be used to develop solid-state batteries that charge faster and store more energy than conventional designs. Experiments revealed the solid-electrolyte was not only stable in normal air environments, but it also inhibited the growth of dendrites — dangerous, branchlike formations that cause batteries to catch fire.