News Releases

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-May-2026 12:16 ET (30-May-2026 16:16 GMT/UTC)

ORNL to lead, partner on FIRE Collaboratives in critical fusion energy technologies

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Grant and Award Announcement

ORNL will lead two collaborations under the Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) program and partner on two more to close critical gaps in fusion technology and bridge basic research with growing fusion companies.

Funder: Fusion Energy Sciences

ORNL leads three INFUSE projects solving fusion challenges

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Grant and Award Announcement

ORNL has been selected to lead three research collaborations with fusion industry partners as part of the 2025 cohort of the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy program. The awarded projects will tap ORNL’s deep expertise in fusion materials, plasma diagnostics and advanced modeling and simulation to solve practical challenges and develop new technologies to accelerate the development of fusion energy.

Funder: Fusion Energy Sciences

ORNL receives 2025 SAMPE Organizational Excellence Award

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Grant and Award Announcement

The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering has named the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory as the recipient of the 2025 SAMPE Organizational Excellence Award.

Tiley wins TMS Distinguished Scientist award

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Grant and Award Announcement

Jay Tiley, head of the Materials Structures and Processing Section in the Materials Science and Technology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has received the 2026 Materials Processing and Manufacturing Division Distinguished Scientist award from The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society.

Innovation Crossroads companies join forces, awarded U.S. Air Force contract

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Business Announcement

The U.S. Air Force awarded startup SkyNano, led by Innovation Crossroads alumna Anna Douglas, a $1.25 million contract to advance its CO2-to-carbon nanotube technology as part of a project to develop low-cost, battery-grade graphite. SkyNano’s partners include American Energy Technologies Company and Eonix, led by Innovation Crossroads alumnus Don DeRosa.

The lignin is in the latitude

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at ORNL have found that the geographic origin of poplar trees influences their cell wall chemistry, affecting the way the trees adapt to environmental changes. The discovery revealed a correlation between latitude and the expression of lignin, a plant polymer, which is responsible for plant structure and support.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Sandia’s Small Business team honored again by DOE

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Grant and Award Announcement

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories’ Mentor-Protégé Program and its leadership have once again been recognized by the Department of Energy for their success in helping small businesses grow.

Study unearths rich rhizodeposits data for better bioenergy crops

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted a meticulous analysis of the compounds released by plant roots into their surrounding environment. The analysis yielded an abundance of data that can guide research aiming to improve the way we grow energy and food crops.

Journal: Plant Cell & Environment
Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

New imaging approach transforms study of bacterial biofilms

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an automated atomic force microscopy platform that captures both nanoscale details and broader biological structures. Demonstrated on bacterial biofilms, the technique reveals how individual cell features connect to larger organizational patterns, offering new insights into resilient microbial communities.

Journal: npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

Carbon fiber boosts dry-processed battery performance

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers have overcome a barrier to using a more affordable, dry process for manufacturing the lithium-ion batteries used in vehicles and electronic devices. The resulting batteries provide greater electricity flow and reduced risk of overheating.

Journal: Journal of Power Sources

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