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.

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

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

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.

In a recent study, PNNL researchers found that noncrystalline mineral surfaces can bind microbial residues to build soil organic matter.

Soil mineral preferentially incorporates rare earth elements based on size, with implications for critical mineral extraction.

This project sought to assure that research activities centered around different sampling and monitoring efforts in northwest Ohio would not disturb any historical cultural resources.

Despite the widespread presence of RNA viruses in soils, little is known about the relative contributions and interactions of biological and environmental factors shaping the composition of soil RNA viral communities.

A multi-institutional team of researchers conducted a 13C-labeling greenhouse study using a semi-arid grassland soil, where they tracked the fate of 13C-labeled inputs from living roots and decaying roots from annual grass Avena barbata.

In soil, microbes produce and consume methane. Using a technique called pool dilution, researchers can separate the rate of methane production and consumption from the net rate.

PNNL’s Climate Network with MSIs and HBCUs aims to bring opportunities to diverse populations.

Hi-C metagenomics-informed phage-host infection networks detected in soil pre- and post-drying.

Scientists at PNNL have published a new article that focuses on understanding the composition, dynamics, and deployment of beneficial soil microbiomes to get the most out of soil.

Soil is a massive reservoir of carbon, holding three times the amount of carbon than in the atmosphere. Soil is a massive reservoir of carbon, holding three times the amount of carbon than in the atmosphere.

Scientists can now generate a protein database directly from proteomics data gathered from a specific soil sample using a digital tool and deep learning computer model called Kaiko.

Metabolomics analysis revealed differences in metabolome profiles for two distinct modes of fungal wood decay.

The popular approach of organizing soil bacteria into fast- or slow-growing groups is problematic because most bacteria grow at comparable rates in soil.

Variations in burn severity are a key control on the chemical constituents of dissolved organic matter delivered to streams within a single burn perimeter.

Department of Energy, Office of Science Director Asmeret Asefaw Berhe visited PNNL to learn about the Lab’s drive to conduct discovery science, commitment to science for an equitable future, and development of a diversified STEM workforce.