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Driving chemical transformations through the power of solar energy

DOE/US Department of Energy

Researchers used solar energy to convert CO2 into a valuable chemical commodity with a two-step solar-powered process. First, electricity from solar energy combined with electrochemistry converts CO2 to ethylene. The ethylene gas stream that exits this process then feeds directly to a thermal catalytic reactor that uses heat derived from the sun to convert ethylene to butene.

Journal: ACS Energy Letters

Advanced techniques paint a more accurate picture of molecular geometry in metal complexes

DOE/US Department of Energy

Attractive metal-metal bonding occurs in a variety of molecules made of metallic atoms such as Iridium (Ir). Current theoretical and experimental methods have shown the existence of two isomers for Ir-Ir molecular systems, but researchers have not been able to predict the proportions of these two isomers or how they interact. This research combines ultrafast experimental measurements and numerical simulations to tease out key information about the two isomers in Ir-Ir complexes.

Journal: Journal of the American Chemical Society

Neutron star mountains would cause ripples in space-time

DOE/US Department of Energy

The surface features of neutron stars are largely unknown. Nuclear theorists explored mountain building mechanisms active on the moons and planets in our solar system. Some of these mechanisms suggest that neutron stars are likely to have mountains. Neutron star mountains would be much more massive than any on Earth--so massive that gravity just from these mountains could produce ripples in the fabric of space and time.

Journal: Physical Review D

AI tackles disruptive tearing instability in fusion plasma

DOE/US Department of Energy

Instabilities in the plasma in a tokamak device can cause disruptions that result in rapid loss of plasma confinement and the release of large amounts of energy. Current approaches can suppress one type of disruption, tearing instabilities, after they form. Here, researchers tested a method using AI/deep reinforcement learning that instead adjusts plasma conditions in real-time to avoid these instabilities from developing in the first place.

Journal: Nature

New approach merges theoretical fundamentals with experimental studies of the proton’s structure

DOE/US Department of Energy

New quantum chromodynamics (QCD) research provides physicists with the tools needed to relate the physics of specific particle collisions with the internal structure of the involved particles. These tools will help scientists relate theory and experiments into how quarks and gluons bind under the influence of QCD.

Journal: Physical Review D

Students and faculty to join research teams this spring at Department of Energy National Laboratories and a fusion facility

DOE/US Department of Energy
Grant and Award Announcement

A diverse group of 164 undergraduate students and six faculty will participate in unique workforce development programs at 11 of the nation’s national laboratories and a fusion facility during Spring 2025.

Illuminating the elements under our feet

DOE/US Department of Energy

Using a unique measurement tool, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have expanded our knowledge of the elements in soil and plants.

Department of Energy announces $179 million for Microelectronics Science Research Centers

DOE/US Department of Energy
Grant and Award Announcement

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $179 million in funding for three Microelectronics Science Research Centers (MSRCs). These three MSRCs will perform basic research in microelectronics materials, device and system design, and manufacturing science to transform future microelectronics technologies. The MSRCs were authorized by the Micro Act, passed in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, and complement the activities appropriated under the CHIPS and Science Act at the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, and other agencies.

Automation of nuclear chemistry processes leads to more efficient production of astatine for cancer therapy

DOE/US Department of Energy

Astatine-211 (At-211) is a promising alpha emitting radioisotope for cancer therapy, but its short 7.2-hour half-life means that it must be handled quickly to minimize losses due to radioactive decay. In this research, scientists designed and tested an automated device for producing At-211 that improves production time and efficiency. The device also minimizes the dose of radioactivity to production staff and reduces the time needed to prepare samples for shipment.

Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal

Enabling breakthroughs and building foundations: The Office of Science’s 2024 year-in-review

DOE/US Department of Energy

At the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, 2024 brought big accomplishments enabled by decades of work as well as advances that are establishing the foundations for future research. From Nobel Prizes to a new exascale computer, the DOE’s Office of Science is leading the way.

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