7-Jan-2026 Ionogel innovation could power safe, enduring energy storage DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an innovative energy storage system design that introduces a safer, more efficient method for electrical charge transfer. This study advances fundamental understanding of how functional groups impact the mechanical and electrochemical performance of highly charged polyelectrolyte membranes — thin, charged polymer sheets that help control the movement of ions in energy devices. Journal Advanced Functional Materials Funder U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, U.S. National Science Foundation
2-Sep-2025 Quantum Brilliance, ORNL pioneer quantum-classical hybrid computing DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory ORNL, in partnership with technology company Quantum Brilliance, has made the first big steps in the advance of quantum computers for scientific discovery with the installation of a Quantum Brilliance computer system at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility. Journal Future Generation Computer Systems
25-Jun-2025 Quantum precision reached in modeling molten salt behavior DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Scientists have developed a new machine learning approach that accurately predicted critical and difficult-to-compute properties of molten salts, materials with diverse nuclear energy applications. Journal Chemical Science
19-Jun-2025 Supercomputer simulations show how to speed up chemical reaction rates DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Using the now-decommissioned Summit supercomputer, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory ran the largest and most accurate molecular dynamics simulations yet of the interface between water and air during a chemical reaction. Journal JACS
5-Jun-2025 MIT researchers use Frontier to model the density, pressure inside neutron stars DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory For astrophysicists, neutron stars stand out as objects of irresistible fascination — perhaps, in part, because of how difficult they are to decipher. But calculations conducted on the Frontier supercomputer, located at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have revealed new clues about the inner workings of neutron stars. Journal Physical Review Letters
12-May-2025 Scientists track tiny structures key to advanced electronics DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory As demand for energy-intensive computing grows, researchers at ORNL have developed a new technique that lets scientists see how interfaces move in promising materials for computing and other applications. The method, now available to users at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL, could help design dramatically more energy-efficient technologies. Journal Small Methods
12-May-2025 Scientists track tiny structures key to advanced electronics DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory As demand for energy-intensive computing grows, researchers at ORNL have developed a new technique that lets scientists see how interfaces move in promising materials for computing and other applications. The method, now available to users at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL, could help design dramatically more energy-efficient technologies. Journal Small Methods
1-Apr-2025 Oxygen tweaking may be the key to optimizing particle accelerators DOE/US Department of Energy Many particle accelerators rely on superconducting radiofrequency components made of niobium. Nuclear physicists found that dissolving oxygen atoms a few micrometers into niobium greatly improves the performance of components made of the metal. Now, the researchers are perfecting a model using different processes for adding oxygen. The model helps to predict and optimize component performance. Journal Journal of Applied Physics
