ORNL is ensuring U.S. leadership in the development, manufacture, and deployment of materials, chemistries, and components for energy and security applications.
ORNL’s leadership in materials science and neutron scattering is intertwined with its nuclear roots. New materials enabled reactor technologies, and unique reactors advanced materials characterization.
Today, breakthroughs in physical and neutron sciences are essential to U.S. energy security, industrial competitiveness, and national defense. The challenge now is speeding discovery into deployment amid extreme environments and fragile supply chains, including secure and reliable access to critical minerals.
How ORNL is advancing materials for energy and security
The challenge
The U.S. cannot meet energy and national security demands without fundamental advances for new materials, chemistries, material supply chains,and integration with engineered systems.
Our goal
To ensure U.S. leadership in the development, manufacture, and deployment of materials, chemistries, and components for energy and security applications.
How we deliver
ORNL is accelerating innovation by integrating strengths in fundamental physical sciences, biotechnology, neutron scattering, and nuclear science with our proven ability to move innovations to market through advanced manufacturing.
Discover
Novel quantum materials
Materials for extreme conditions
Innovations in extractions and separations for U.S. critical minerals
Synthesize
Develop new manufacturing approaches for metals and composites to advance energy, industrial, and propulsion systems.
Build a secure digital thread, from materials sourcing to design and certification.
Develop agile bio-design strategies to advance and scale materials,
Develop agile bio-design strategies to advance and scale materials, chemicals, critical minerals, and feedstocks.
Characterize
Develop world-leading capabilities for precision characterization using neutrons, electrons, and novel detectors based on isotopically pure elements.
Leverage AI for real-time characterization as part of born-qualified manufacturing workflows.
