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Oak Ridge National Laboratory

@oakridgelab

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Official account of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy's largest science and energy research lab.

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Happy World Exascale Day!🎉

Today we celebrate the magnitude of exascale (10¹⁸) highlighting @oakridgelab's Frontier supercomputer as the first machine in the world to break the exascale barrier.🚀

Researchers are using the power of Frontier daily to help push the boundaries of discovery from advancing energy and materials science to exploring new possibilities in health, climate and beyond.

And the next chapter is already on the horizon: Discovery, ORNL's next-generation supercomputer, is coming in 2028 to take scientific discovery even further.

Together, Frontier and Discovery represent @OLCFGOV’s continued commitment to advancing scientific discovery at unprecedented scale.💫

#WorldExascaleDay #supercomputing #BigScience by @oakridgelab

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5 hours ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: Did you know you can 3D print electronics?

This 3D printer deposits functional materials with exceptional precision so ORNL researchers can rapidly prototype electronic devices and explore new ideas faster than they can with traditional manufacturing methods.

Capabilities like this help accelerate the design, testing, and evaluation of next-generation electronic systems for advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. A Voltera NOVA electronics 3D printer depositing a thin line of conductive material through a fine nozzle onto a flat surface. Blue lighting illuminates the print area as the printer fabricates an electronic circuit. The device being fabricated is an RFID antenna. by @oakridgelab

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16 hours ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: This hot cell facility enables safe handling and processing of radioactive materials, supporting the reliable production of isotopes that power deep space exploration systems and reinforce U.S. energy security capabilities. A clean hot cell facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Thick concrete walls, leaded viewing windows, remote manipulators, and overhead equipment illustrate the specialized environment used to safely handle and process radioactive materials for isotope production supporting deep space exploration and U.S. energy security. by @oakridgelab

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8 days ago

ORNL has been selected for six Phase II awards under the @energy's #GenesisMission.

The projects will advance research in materials science, microelectronics, quantum computing, accelerator operations, HPC software development and fusion energy.

Learn more about the projects through the link in bio! A poster titled "AI-empowered Design of Functional Quantum Magnets" led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It includes logos for the U.S. Department of Energy, Genesis Mission, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The poster announces "Genesis Mission Phase II Award Recipient" and features a geometric spiral pattern at the bottom labeled "Golden Age of Science. by @oakridgelab

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10 days ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: One of the biggest engineering challenges in fusion isn't creating the heat. It's managing it.

Here, ORNL fusion engineer Cody Wiggins is inspecting the Helium Flow Loop Experiment. The system uses high-pressure helium to test new cooling strategies for future fusion energy technologies.

Every measurement helps researchers improve computer models and better understand how to manage the extreme heat inside tomorrow's fusion systems. ORNL fusion engineer Cody Wiggins adjusts instrument cables and sensors on the Helium Flow Loop Experiment, a network of stainless steel pipes used to study advanced cooling designs with high-pressure helium. by @oakridgelab

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15 days ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: A material's surface has a story to tell.

At ORNL's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, technical professional Cat Shi uses a Krüss goniometer to study how liquids interact with polymers. These measurements help researchers better understand material performance, supporting the development of new materials for advanced manufacturing. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, technical professional Cat Shi adjusts a Krüss goniometer in the polymer characterization lab while wearing safety glasses. by @oakridgelab

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22 days ago

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a month ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: At ORNL's Spallation Neutron Source, this cryogenic robot retrieves frozen protein crystal samples, positions them for neutron scattering experiments, and returns them to storage before moving on to the next sample.

Automation like this helps scientists spend more time analyzing results and less time handling samples. The MaNDi protein crystallography beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The image shows a cryogenic robotic system transferring a tiny protein crystal sample between a cryogenic storage mount and the instrument's goniometer. Frost and cold vapor surround the sample. by @oakridgelab

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a month ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: Before data can answer scientific questions, someone has to build the system that captures it.

Here, ORNL technical professional Christi Johnson assembles a data acquisition system for a new project in the Multimodal Sensor Analytics Group. From hardware design and fabrication to testing and integration, this work creates the foundation for sensor-driven research across a wide range of scientific and engineering applications. Christi Johnson, a technical staff member in ORNL's Multimodal Sensor Analytics Group, reaching into an equipment rack to install and connect a data acquisition system for a new project. by @oakridgelab

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a month ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: The crystalline structures in this bottle are the result of a new process for separating rare earth elements.

The approach could reduce waste, simplify processing, and help strengthen domestic supplies of materials used in electronics, energy technologies, and defense. A clear sample vial illuminated beneath a microscope, revealing dense, golden, needle-like crystalline structures suspended inside. The vial demonstrates the result of rare earth element separation using a single chameleonic ligand. by @oakridgelab

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a month ago

Plants could become a new tool for harvesting critical minerals. 🌱

ORNL scientists are using AI to help create plants that act like living sponges, absorbing critical minerals from the soil that can be harvested and processed to recover valuable metals.

The research is part of OPAL, the Orchestrated Platform for Autonomous Laboratories, which is a multi-laboratory effort with @argonne, @berkeleylab, and @pnnlab to accelerate biological discovery and biotechnologies using AI and automation.

OPAL is part of DOE’s #GenesisMission, supporting efforts to strengthen national security and advance energy innovation.

Read more at the link in bio. by @oakridgelab

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2 months ago

📸 ORNL in Focus: At first glance, it looks like a tiny metal drill bit under bright lights. But those lights are doing more than illuminate: they're capturing data.

At ORNL's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, researchers measure how cutting tools wear over time. Those measurements train AI models that can predict tool life and optimize machining before problems occur, helping manufacturers reduce waste, lower costs, and improve productivity. A milling cutter is illuminated by precision imaging lights inside a DMG milling machine at ORNL's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, where researchers measure tool wear to train machine learning models that improve machining efficiency and extend tool life. by @oakridgelab

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2 months ago