Amine functionalized graphene oxide yields laminates with an enhanced capacity to adsorb rare earth elements, improved water transport, and greater stability for effective membrane-based separation of critical minerals.

Tracking water age using a new precipitation tagging method within a hydrologic model generates key information to support hydropower energy and other water-dependent systems.

More rain and less snow shorten how long water stays in watersheds.

​​Tests show which low-cost 3D method best matches field measurements to minimize errors in mapping headwaters.​

Five PNNL innovations earned 2026 R&D 100 Awards for advances in biotechnology, manufacturing, critical minerals, and nuclear security.

Chiral nanotubes facilitate the direction-specific diffusion of carbon dioxide to be faster than nitrogen gas.

Researchers at PNNL have developed an interpretable, lightweight AI model that can easily predict weld microstructure features using only basic machine sensor inputs.

Replacing commercial acid with acidic waste enables researchers to improve nickel extraction efficiency, lower projected costs, and improve process economics.

Matteo Muratori, director of transportation and industry programs at PNNL, has been named to the 2026–2028 cohort of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s New Voices Program.

Secretary Wright visited PNNL's campus in Richland, Washington, late last year to meet with innovators in chemistry, biology, computing, and more.

Localized gradients in magnetic fields have long-range effects on the concentration of rare earth ions in solution, facilitating field-driven extraction of critical minerals.

Studying a series of rare earth element compounds revealed differences in their magnetic behavior that will be leveraged for separations.

Distributed science is thriving at PNNL, where scientists share data and collaborate with researchers around the world to increase the impact of the work.

Nanoscale domains of magnetically susceptible critical materials encounter enhanced magnetic interactions under external magnetic fields, providing a promising new avenue for separations.

This summer, PNNL hosted the inaugural “As Conductive As Copper” (AC2.0) workshop, fostering a collaborative conversation on the future of the U.S. copper supply chain.

The size of graphene oxide sheets affects the ability of assembled membranes and adsorbents to separate rare earth elements.

Researchers have developed the first coastal transport model for microplastics to understand how particles move in waterways and coastal currents.

Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) imparts significantly more deformation compared to conventional extrusion. The latest ShAPE system at PNNL, ShAPEshifter, is a purpose-built machine designed for maximum configurability.

High-resolution hydrodynamic-sediment modeling shows that inundation, suspended sediment concentration in the Amazon River, and floodplain hydrodynamics drive sediment deposition in Amazonian floodplains.

Lakes are important sentinels of climate change and contribute significantly to the emissions of the second most important greenhouse gas—methane.