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Charging up the development of lithium-ion batteries

DOE/US Department of Energy

On Oct. 9, the Nobel committee recognized work in developing lithium-ion batteries. These batteries have enabled a huge number of advances, including mobile phones and plug-in electric vehicles. The DOE Office of Science is proud to have supported research by Whittingham and Goodenough and to have funded research by many scientists who have built upon their innovations.

Department of Energy announces private-public awards to advance fusion energy technology

DOE/US Department of Energy
Grant and Award Announcement

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced funding for 12 projects with private industry to enable collaboration with DOE national laboratories on overcoming challenges in fusion energy development.

Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy

Microbes are Metabolic Specialists

DOE/US Department of Energy

Scientists can use genetic information to measure if microbes in the environment can perform specific ecological roles. Researchers recently analyzed the genomes of over 6,000 microbial species.

Even Hard Materials Have Soft Spots

DOE/US Department of Energy

The Achilles Heel of 'metallic glasses' is that while they are strong materials -- even stronger than conventional steels -- they are also very brittle. The initial failures tend to be localized and catastrophic. This is due to their random amorphous (versus ordered crystalline) atomic structure. Computer simulations revealed that the structure is not completely random, however, and that there are some regions in the structure that are relatively weak.

Location, Location, Location...How charge placement can control a self-assembled structure

DOE/US Department of Energy

For years, scientists have formed polymers using the interaction of charges on molecular chains to determine the shape, geometry, and other properties. Now, a team achieved precise and predictable control of molecular chains by positioning charges. Their method leads to particles with reproducible sizes.

Cracking in Harsh Environments Needs Stress and Corrosion, But Not at the Same Time

DOE/US Department of Energy

Alloys (metals combining two or more metallic elements) are typically stronger and less susceptible to cracking than pure metals. Yet when alloys are subjected to stress and a harsh chemical environment, the alloy can fail. The reason? Cracks caused by corrosion.

Simultaneous Clean and Repair

DOE/US Department of Energy

Scientists have developed a novel and efficient approach to surface cleaning, materials transport, and repair.

Where Does Salt in the Amazon Air Come From?

DOE/US Department of Energy

Tiny particles of sodium salt float in the air over the pristine Amazon basin. Why? The only explanation before now has been that winds blow marine particles hundreds of miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. An international team of scientists used chemical imaging and atmospheric models to prove otherwise.

The Technological Heavyweight You've Probably Never Heard Of: ESnet

DOE/US Department of Energy

Since that first computer more than 30 years ago, ESnet has expanded to connect more than 40 major research institutions at speeds 15,000 times faster than a home network. From acting as an early adopter of protocols that now run the internet to making today's scientific discoveries possible, ESnet is the big player in the internet you've probably never heard of.

How many copies does it take to change a trait?

DOE/US Department of Energy

New research shows that the number of copies of genes in a poplar tree affects its traits. Scientists developed a group of poplar trees in which different plants have DNA segments that are repeated or deleted. They found that the number of copies of certain regions of the genome influences traits important to agriculture, the bioenergy industry, and the tree's ecological role.