Publications

Sep, 2026

Journal

Enhanced Catalytic Dechlorination of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and H2 Production Enabled by Synergistic Gaδ+/Ga0 Active Sites in Liquid Metal Particles

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is ubiquitous yet challenging to recycle due to its tendency to thermally decompose above 250 °C, releasing toxic, corrosive chlorinated compounds, and its inability to melt. Here, we report a catalytic strategy for PVC upcycling at 160 °C using gallium liquid metal particles (Ga-LMP) featuring a dynamic Ga-GaOOH core–shell architecture. These cata…

Sep, 2026

Journal

Pivotal role of organic adsorbates for the creation of catalytic sites during dry reforming of methane

Inadvertent factors can sometimes be crucial for synthesis of catalysts. The use of polyalcohols is common in the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts. Interactions between alcohols and heterogeneous catalysts have been shown to induce surface reconstructions that greatly impact catalytic performance. Thus, traces of these alcohol functionalities on the as-synthesized cata…

Aug, 2026

Journal

TEM Approaches for Microstructure-Informed Prediction of Mechanical Properties in Structural Alloys

Predicting the mechanical performance of structural alloys from their evolving microstructure remains a major challenge in materials science, particularly for nuclear structural materials, where irradiation-induced defects span multiple types and length scales and interact through complex mechanisms. The dispersed barrier hardening (DBH) [1] and Friedel–Kroupa–Hirsch (FKH)…

Jul, 2026

Journal

Comparative neutron-irradiation effects on thermal conductivity degradation and dimensional stability of TiC, TiB2, and ZrB2 at 200–1000 °C

Ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs), including TiC, Ti11B₂, and Zr11B₂, show great potential for plasma-facing components due to their excellent high-temperature properties prior to irradiation. However, their response to neutron irradiation remains insufficiently understood, limiting robust assessment of their viability for fusion energy applications. This study exami…

Jun, 2026

Journal

Defect formation and transmutation behaviors in irradiated tungsten under thermal-neutron shielded and mixed spectrum conditions

This study investigates the microstructural evolution of pure tungsten irradiated under thermal-neutron shielded and mixed spectrum conditions in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). Four samples were irradiated at temperatures from 570 °C to 1130 °C up to 0.73 dpa. Neutron spectrum significantly influenced the accumulation of transmutation products, with Re+Os content es…

Jun, 2026

Journal

Flash electropolishing for TEM: Reducing FIB-induced defects in tungsten with protocols for new materials

Focused ion beam (FIB) milling has become the dominant approach for site-specific transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen preparation; however, FIB damage remains a critical limitation for reliable microstructural characterisation, particularly in radiation effects studies. Tungsten is especially susceptible to FIB damage due to its high nuclear stopping power, whi…

Apr, 2026

ORNL Report

ANNUAL DOE-QST COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH REPORT FOR THE DEMO DESIGN ACTIVITIES

Mar, 2026

Conference Paper

Corrosion Resistance of an AlCeMg/Stainless-Steel Reactive Bond

A major issue for metal components in many industries is corrosion as it can substantially reduce their lifetime. This issue is especially problematic for materials used in heat exchanger applications. Al–Ce–Mg alloys, which exhibit corrosion resistance and can reactively bond with other metals, may be a viable solution to this problem. This investigation studied the corro…

Mar, 2026

Conference Paper

Choosing the Appropriate Preparation and Technique for the Advanced Characterization of Nuclear Fuels and Materials

Feb, 2026

ORNL Report

POSTIRRADIATION EXAMINATION OF HFIR-IRRADIATED YTTRIUM HYDRIDES

Feb, 2026

Journal

Back to functional hydrides: Effects of neutron-irradiated microstructure on hydrogen retention in yttrium hydride

Functional hydrides are promising candidates for advanced nuclear reactors, particularly in portable or transportable applications, due to their high hydrogen-retention capabilities, enabling efficient neutron moderation, and compact reactor design. However, hydrogen mobility in hydrides at elevated irradiation temperatures poses significant technological challenges, neces…

Sep, 2025

Journal

Catalyst Deactivation Modes of PdO/γ-Al2O3 Catalysts for Lean Methane Oxidation

PdO/γ-Al2O3 catalysts are one of the most active catalytic components for the complete oxidation of methane. Under reaction conditions, especially in a wet feed, the catalysts suffer severe performance degradation. This study establishes a series of testing protocols to systematically investigate the causes of catalyst deactivation under methane oxidation reaction conditio…