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Novel Protein-based Method for REE Separation

As an important step toward overcoming the technical and environmental limitations of current REE processing methods, the LLNL team has patented and demonstrated a biobased, all-aqueous REE extraction and separation scheme using the REE-selective lanmodulin protein. Lanmodulin can be fixed onto porous support materials using thiol-maleimide chemistry, which can enable tandem REE purification…

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NIF Lasers

This invention configures multiple spherical substrate targets to roll independently of one another.  The spheres’ rolling motion is deliberately randomized to promote uniform coating while eliminating the interaction (rubbing, sliding) of adjacent spheres that is present in conventional sphere coating designs. The devices’ novel structure features enable the collimation of depositing species…

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Powder in Chemical Watch Glass

LLNL researchers have developed a Li-Sn-Zn ternary alloy and its method of production.  Instead of traditional alloying techniques, the alloy was synthesized using mechanical alloying (high energy ball milling).  With high purity elemental powders of lithium, tin and zinc, LLNL researchers were able to prepare Li60Sn20Zn20 as well as Li70Sn20Zn10 nanopowders.

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LLNL energy grid protection device

The approach is to leverage the fact that a momentary “load” equal to the power transmission line impedance, (Z0), during the transient can suppress its propagation.  Z(0) is typically a fixed impedance of several hundred ohms based on the geometry of most single wire transmission lines.

So, an isolated self-powered opticondistor (OTV) system may provide an ultrafast method of…

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JFET Device Structure

LLNL’s novel approach is to use diamond substrates with the desired donor (nitrogen) and acceptor (boron) impurities.   In order to optically activate these deep impurities, the invention requires at least one externally or internally integrated light source.  The initial exposure to light can set up the desired conduction current, after which the light source could be turned off.  Even with…

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Livermore researchers support efforts to limit the need for rare-earth elements in U.S. clean-energy technologies.

CMI—a DOE Energy Innovation Hub—is a public/private partnership led by the Ames Laboratory that brings together the best and brightest research minds from universities, national laboratories (including LLNL), and the private sector to find innovative technology solutions to make better use of materials critical to the success of clean energy technologies as well as develop resilient and secure…

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3D MEA device prior to actuation. A) A completed device. B) Close-up image of a single cell culture well. The large dark metal features at the top and bottom of each cell culture well are ground electrodes, which are all electrically shorted to each other. C) Light micrograph of a single 3DMEA post-actuation. The hinge regions are plastically deformed and allow the probes to stand upright without additional supports.

To replicate the physiology and functionality of tissues and organs, LLNL has developed an in vitro device that contains 3D MEAs made from flexible polymeric probes with multiple electrodes along the body of each probe. At the end of each probe body is a specially designed hinge that allows the probe to transition from lying flat to a more upright position when actuated and then…