Recycling polyolefin materials is challenging. One waste management strategy is plastic upcycling. New work demonstrates a single-step upcycling route coupling cracking and alkylation, recycling carbon and keeping valuable resources active.

PNNL’s patented Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE™) technique is an advanced manufacturing technology that enables better-performing materials and components while offering opportunities to reduce costs and energy consumption.

Americans produce enough waste every year to replace up to a quarter of the country’s jet fuel with sustainable alternatives, new research shows.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the construction permit for Kairos Power’s Hermes molten salt test reactor project in Tennessee.

Bradley Crowell with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission sees advanced materials integrity, radiological measurement, and environmental capabilities on his first visit to PNNL.

PNNL receives a 2023 Federal Laboratory Consortium Far West Regional Award for a technological innovation that could help make the U.S. a producer of critical minerals used in electronics and energy production.

PNNL’s ARENA test bed analyzes how electrical cables degrade in extreme environments and how nondestructive examination inspection technologies can detect and locate damage.

PNNL researchers explore the feasibility of using low-flying drones to survey sites for low levels of radiation.

As the world races to discover solutions for reaching net zero carbon emissions, a PNNL analysis quantifies the economic value of the existing nuclear power fleet and its carbon-free energy contributions.

A PNNL innovation uses steam to recover heat from the high-temperature reactor effluent in the HTL process, substantially reducing the propensity for fouling and potentially reducing costs.

Radha Kishan Motkuri lends skill and knowledge to co-lead special edition journal.

PNNL gathered researchers from eight national laboratories plus the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to share ideas and build synergy at the Energy Equity and Environmental Justice Summit.

From landfills to fill-ups: novel catalysts may make plastic upcycling cleaner and more cost-effective.

Plastic upcycling efficiently converts plastics to valuable commodity chemicals while using less of the precious metal ruthenium. The method could recycle waste plastic pollution into useful products, helping keep it out of landfills.

Eight PNNL research papers were recognized by the 2022 Waste Management Symposia as “Papers of Note” and “Superior.” One paper received a Best Oral Paper/Presentation Award.

PNNL’s Rob Howard received the 2022 Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Award from the American Nuclear Society.

PNNL Materials Scientist Leo Fifield recognized for contributions to the field of nuclear instrumentation and control.

To support federal energy agencies in meeting renewed environmental policies, PNNL is identifying the mechanisms and practices that could enhance agencies’ existing environmental justice programs, policies, and activities.

PNNL experts perform fundamental climate science work at multiple scales to understand impacts on energy, water, food, and infrastructure systems.

Carbon-neutral waste-to-fuel flow cell process generates its own energy.