New funding spurs a new approach to researching the effective retrieval and processing of legacy radioactive waste. Four-year focus of the IDREAM EFRC will link attosecond timescales to decades-long chemical processes.

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.

Kriston Brooks received the 2023 Department of Energy Office of Classification Outstanding DC Award, which is given to those in the classification community who have made significant contributions.

When exposed to a sufficiently high dose of ionizing radiation, gibbsite and boehmite are less susceptible to dehydration-induced breakdown.

PNNL researchers review ceramic-metal composite technology for immobilizing radioactive wastes from nuclear reactors, including advanced reactors.

The 2024 Jack Simons Award honor recognizes Li for his expertise in integrating chemistry with computing for fundamental science research.

IDREAM scientists capture electronic response to ionization.

IDREAM research shows the size of cations in highly concentrated nitrite solutions affects the production of radicals.

Researchers are developing and deploying solutions to reduce risk and increase efficiency while keeping people and the environment safe.

Scientists stop the motion of atoms to watch electrons move in liquid water.

Differences in water interactions lead to two gibbsite dissolution pathways modulated by solution acidity.

Irradiation in a sodium hydroxide solution increases the dissolution rate and particle roughness of gibbsite compared to dry irradiation.

Harish Gadey, David Peeler, and Tom Brouns named to Waste Management Symposia Program Advisory Committee positions to help develop radioactive waste management discussions.

Resolving how nanoparticles come together is important for industry and environmental remediation. New work predicts nanoparticle aggregation behavior across a wide range of scales for the first time.

PNNL chemical engineer Reid Peterson helped develop the process to pretreat Hanford Site tank waste by removing cesium-137.

A poem inspired by radioactive tank waste—“Can a Scientist Dream it Alone?”—was awarded first place in the Department of Energy’s Poetry of Science Art Contest.

DOE Basic Energy Sciences 2023 “Poetry of Science Art Contest” aims to educate and inspire; voting for the People’s Choice Award closes September 15.

IDREAM research shows that keeping only the most important two- and three-body terms in reactive force fields can decrease computational cost by one order of magnitude, while preserving satisfactory accuracy.

Waste Management Symposia ‘Paper of Note’ and ‘Superior Paper’ awards recognize PNNL contributions to advancing radioactive waste and materials management.

Team brought experience in nuclear waste forms and regulatory policies to the Federally Funded Research and Development Center’s report, which was reviewed by a National Academies’ committee.