Transportation @ PNNL: Eliminating Critical Materials in Batteries | Exploring Hydrogen Buses for Hazard Resilience

PNNL Researchers Work to Make Industrial Catalytic Converters More Efficient

Recently, PNNL researchers studied the interactions taking place between hot engine exhaust gases and cerium, a key component of catalysts that stores oxygen and supports chemical reactions. In collaboration with industry and university partners, they discovered a process that improves the performance of cerium and reduces how much is needed to effectively treat undesirable exhaust gases. Read the full article here.

New DOE-Funded Consortium Aims to Reduce or Eliminate Critical Materials in Batteries

They've been powering our smartphones and electric vehicles for years, but lithium-based batteries rely on “critical materials,” such as lithium and cobalt, that have volatile prices and carry a high risk of supply chain disruption. The Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage (LENS) consortium, funded by DOE's Vehicle Technologies Office, is a major research and development effort to create superior, no-compromise batteries that replace lithium with inexpensive, domestically abundant sodium and use few—if any—critical materials. Read the full article here.

Lab Holds First 'As Conductive As Copper' Workshop

Copper plays a vital and growing role in modern energy systems—including electric motors—and the DOE recently classified it as a critical material. Last week, PNNL hosted the inaugural As Conductive As Copper (AC2.0) workshop, bringing together voices from across the sector—manufacturers, academic researchers, and national laboratory experts—for a collaborative conversation on the future of copper. The attendees explored how supply chain constraints could impact widespread component manufacturing and examined promising alternative materials that could complement or even replace copper in key applications.

PDX and PNNL Explore Hydrogen Fueling for Hazard Resilience

Portland International Airport (PDX) has introduced a range of improvements to its operations, and the airport’s eye to the future is turning toward its ground transportation. Now, PDX, PNNL, and Sandia National Laboratories are exploring the feasibility of hydrogen fuel for the PDX bus fleet—an idea that could have novel benefits for hazard resilience, particularly for an airport in an earthquake zone. Read the full article here.

DOE Leaders Tour PNNL's Labs for Manufacturing, Biofuels, and Batteries

We were honored to share our work in the transportation sector with Rachael Overbey, special assistant for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, and Victor Silva Santos, chief of staff for DOE's Office of Policy, during their recent visit to PNNL. The tour included stops in the Lab's Applied Engineering Laboratory, home of its Smart Advanced Manufacturing program; the Grid Storage Launchpad, a national capability targeting next-generation battery technologies; and the Process Development Laboratory, where researchers turn waste into fuel.

PNNL Hosts 15th Beyond Lithium-Ion Conference

In June, PNNL hosted the 15th Beyond Lithium-Ion Conference (BLI-XV). The annual meeting is organized by a consortium of national laboratories, IBM, and NASA research centers and focuses on advances in scalable energy storage beyond the current state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. BLI-XV included sessions on aqueous metal batteries; redox flow batteries; automation and AI; lithium-sulfur batteries; and nonaqueous alkaline batteries.

Sign up for the Advanced Manufacturing @ PNNL Newsletter!

Researchers at PNNL are transforming the future of manufacturing, enabling higher-performance, more affordable, American-made materials and products. The new Advanced Manufacturing @ PNNL newsletter puts a spotlight on the Lab’s advances in the manufacturing space—everything from robot-welded lightweight car parts to ultra-conductive aluminum wire for the electric grid. Sign up here.

In the News

AZoMaterials interviewed Yao Bin Xu, a senior materials scientist at PNNL, about the role of advanced imaging and cryogenic techniques in battery diagnostics.
PNNL's work to explore hydrogen buses at PDX was picked up by Fuel Cells Works and the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.
NuScale announced research programs aimed at advancing a system (developed in partnership with PNNL researchers) that provides clean water and energy-efficient hydrogen production.

Transportation connects us—it is the backbone of our economy and critical to supporting the daily needs of all Americans. At PNNL, we leverage our cutting-edge expertise and industry partnerships to increase access to domestic fuels and improve the energy efficiency, convenience, and affordability of transporting people and goods.

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Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in energy resiliency and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle and supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit the DOE Office of Science website. For more information about PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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