A pioneer in material science, Meng’s new role comes with a joint appointment as a professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at The University of Chicago.
Tag: vehicle technologies
Breakthrough research makes battery recycling more economical
Researchers at the nation’s first advanced battery recycling research and development center have made a pivotal discovery that removes one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way of making recycling lithium-ion batteries economically viable.
Argonne teams up with GEVO to apply lab’s GREET Model to company’s net-zero project
Argonne recently teamed up with a Colorado-based biofuel company to perform a critical lifecycle analysis of its Next Gen technology to produce renewable jet fuel from corn grain in what could be a game-changer in biofuel industry.
Riveting Technology Enables Lightweight Magnesium Fasteners for Fuel Efficiency
Rotational Hammer Riveting, developed by PNNL, joins dissimilar materials quickly without preheating rivets. The friction-based riveting enables use of lightweight magnesium rivets and also works on aluminum and speeds manufacturing.
To Reduce Vehicle Pollution, a Single Atom Can Do the Work of Several
A discovery from PNNL and Washington State University could help reduce the amount of expensive material needed to treat vehicle exhaust by making the most of every precious atom.
Green Diesel for the Road Ahead
A new report led by PNNL identifies the top 13 most promising waste- and biomass-derived diesel blendstocks for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, other pollutants, and overall system costs.
A 10-year look at the battery supply chain in America
A new report summarizes the manufacturing and production locations of lithium-ion battery cells and packs by make and model for PEVs sold in the U.S. from 2010 to 2020. It also summarizes the annual and cumulative Li-ion battery capacity installed in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) sold in the U.S.
New Argonne study puts charge into drive for sustainable lithium production
A new study by a team of scientists from Argonne National Laboratory and Chilean-based SQM shows the best ways to produce lithium more efficiently.
Internships Put Futures in Flight
PNNL intern Ki Ahn spent this past year as an undergraduate at PNNL gaining hands-on research experience in clean energy storage technologies for vehicles and aviation. Ahn is enrolling in Stanford University this fall to finish his bachelor’s degree. With plans to major in mechanical engineering or computer science, he wants to explore how future aircraft technologies can be designed to reduce harmful environmental effects.
Argonne partners with Chilean company SQM to better understand lithium life cycle
A groundbreaking collaboration with one of the world’s largest producers of lithium will yield critical insights into the lithium production process and how it relates to environmental sustainability.

Argonne’s Wang and Streets named highly influential climate scientists
Michael Wang and David Streets, both of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, were named to Reuters’ “Hot List” of today’s 1,000 most influential climate scientists. Both are in Argonne’s Energy and Global Security-Energy Systems (EGS-ES) division.

From Curb to Doorstep: Driving Efficiencies for Delivering Goods
In a collaboration between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab, a prototype webapp has been developed that combines smart sensors and machine learning to predict parking space availability. The prototype is ready for initial testing to help commercial delivery drivers find open spaces without expending fuel and losing time and patience.
Clingy Copper Ions Contribute to Catalyst Slowdown
PNNL scientists, working with researchers at Washington State University and Tsinghua University, discovered a mechanism behind the decline in performance of an advanced copper-based catalyst. The team’s findings, featured on the cover of the journal ACS Catalysis, could aid the design of catalysts that work better and last longer during the NOx conversion process.
ORNL licenses revolutionary AI system to General Motors for automotive use
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has licensed its award-winning artificial intelligence software system, the Multinode Evolutionary Neural Networks for Deep Learning, to General Motors for use in vehicle technology and design.
New Argonne partnership to predict fuel injector dynamics
Collaborators use experiments, high-fidelity simulations and machine learning to deliver predictive tools to engine manufacturers.

New Clean Energy Process Converts Methane to Hydrogen with Zero Carbon Dioxide Emissions
PNNL, teaming with academia and industry, develops a novel zero-emission methane pyrolysis process that produces both hydrogen and high-value carbon solids.

Stronger Cobalt for Fuel Cells
A multi-institutional effort led to the design of a highly active and more durable catalyst made from cobalt, which sets the foundation for fuel cells to power transportation, stationary and backup power, and more.

Battery of tests: Scientists figure out how to track what happens inside batteries
The new method could be the key to designing more efficient batteries for specific uses, like electric cars and airplanes.

Alloy-Forming Duo Unites to Amp Up Possibilities for Ethanol
Scientists have developed a novel catalyst that converts pure ethanol into a highly valued class of alcohols that can serve as building blocks for everything from solvents to jet fuel.

Argonne-led collaborations pave the way for a greener tomorrow
Newly funded projects will contribute to innovative, advanced electric vehicle charging.

“Better” Copper Means Higher-Efficiency Electric Motors
Researchers at PNNL have increased the conductivity of composite copper wire by 5%. That small percentage can make a big difference in motor efficiency. The laboratory teamed with General Motors to test out the souped-up copper wire for use in vehicle motor components, as part of a cost-shared research project.

Redesigning lithium-ion battery anodes for better performance
In a new study, a team led by researchers at Argonne National Laboratory has made discoveries concerning a potential new, higher-capacity anode material, which would allow lithium-ion batteries to have a higher overall energy capacity.

New Argonne model helps decision makers predict and plan for the future of electrified transportation
Argonne researchers have developed a large-scale computational model that helps decision makers allocate investment in electrified transportation infrastructure and serve consumers interested in owning electric vehicles.