Reactor that burns depleted fuel attracts R&D leaders

Feb 24 | News

Peter Behr of ClimateWire wrote yesterday about a new type of nuclear reactor pioneered by a former Bechtel Corp. physicist John Gilleland. He and his company, TerraPower LLC, have developed the traveling wave reactor concept, which has now attracted DOE attention. The venture already has help from Argonne Lab and MIT.

Physicists release nuclear downsizing report

Feb 19 | News

Even as America appears ready to begin constructing nuclear power plants again, the effort to downsize nuclear arsenals here and abroad has been revived. American Physical Society experts have published a new report talks about the technical steps necessary to responsibly trim the stockpile.

Using supercomputers to explore nuclear energy

Jan 25 | News

Ever wanted to see a nuclear reactor core in action?  A new computer algorithm developed by researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory allows scientists to view nuclear fission in much finer detail than ever before.

For nuclear energy safety, scientists explore limits of graphite

12/28/2009 | News

Though not particularly exotic, graphite is a material with great importance to the successful operation of many current and future nuclear reactor designs: its high heat-absorption capacity keeps fuel at safe temperature. The Carbon Characterization Lab at Idaho National Lab is now trying to find out how and why not all graphite is created equal.

Polymer beads clean nuclear reactor cooling water

11/30/2009 | News

In addition to spent radioactive core rods, pressurized-water reactors also generate a problematic low-level waste: cooling water. Researchers at TU Dortmund have designed a special polymer that fishes radioactivity out of this water, potentially simplifying the disposal procedures required of nuclear facilities.

Scientists attempt to crack deeper mysteries of uranium fission

10/6/2009 | News

If nuclear energy is to be part of our future, we will need to better understand the fissile process. At an advanced nuclear reactor operated by Idaho National Lab, researchers are conducting a new type of study on the distribution of elements in fuel rods following neutron radiation in an effort to reveal how we can use more of the fissionable uranium. An additional project at INL to refine nuclear modeling to the femtometer scale should help matters.

Fusion-energy research key to advancing computer chips

8/19/2009 | News

Researchers are adapting the same methods used in fusion-energy research to create extremely thin plasma beams for a new class of "nanolithography" required to make future computer chips. New nanolithography will be needed to continue advances in computer technology and to extend Moore's law. The new plasma-based lithography under development generates "extreme ultraviolet" light having a wavelength of 13.5 nm, less than one-tenth the size of current lithography.

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Much ado about next to nothing

Mar 15

The recent review of the past 10 years of the National Nanotechnology Initiative--as presented by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology--suggested the rise of nanomanufacturing as the near future of nanotechnology. But the actual proposed funding reflects a cautious approach, even about nanotech in general.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Mar 5

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

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NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

Jan 7

NuGard First Response Protective Clothing are lightweight coveralls, jackets, and pants that provide protection from heat and flame while keeping the wearers body temperature constant.

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Jan 7

Professor David Wessel shows his multi-touch interface that uses computer technologies that allow him to experiment with fine controls to "caress" the instrument.