Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana’s higher education institutions, Louisiana State University and Tulane University, are among ORNL’s primary partners in the Pelican State. Additionally, ReactWell, a company providing industry with technological services and products, is working to offer a promising new carbon capture technology from ORNL.
ORNL’s user facilities offer a diverse set of tools for experiments across a range of fields, including biology, materials and energy sciences, physics, engineering, and chemistry. Learn more about ORNL’s user facilities. Data reflects fiscal year 2020 except for scientific publications, which covers 2016–2020. Partner stories reflect work conducted from 2016 to present.
A team of researchers led by Tulane University used ORNL’s research reactor, also known as the High Flux Isotope Reactor, to study an unusual state in a two-dimensional magnetic material. This material might show characteristics of what scientists call a Weyl semimetal, a holy grail of physics. Essentially, Weyl semimetals show quantum behavior at room temperature, which is what is needed to continue advancing quantum-based electronics. However, Weyl semimetals are rare and most are not magnetic, but the material observed at ORNL’s reactor showed a type of magnetism that could help significantly speed up computers, smartphones, and other electronics. These efforts were conducted in association with Louisiana State University’s Louisiana Consortium for Neutron Scattering.
ORNL worked with New Orleans-based industry partner ReactWell to develop and deploy R&D 100 Award-winning technologies to capture carbon dioxide and to convert it to ethanol. ReactWell, ORNL, and Holocene Climate Corporation developed a solution containing ORNL-discovered receptors to absorb carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is then converted into a type of salt. The resulting carbon dioxide can then either be stored or it can be converted into useful products. Separately, ReactWell licensed and scaled up ORNL’s electrochemical process, which converts carbon dioxide into ethanol.
Learn more about energy research and physical science at ORNL.
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