Tag Archives: Argonne
Ground broken on $95M building at Argonne
Ground has been broken for a $95 million Energy Sciences Building on the campus of Argonne National Laboratory near Lemont.
The Herald-News reports that U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Energy Secretary Steven Chu attended the Friday groundbreaking. Durbin said we need to “invest in science and innovation” so the U.S. can remain a world leader.
Durbin says the new facility will let hundreds of “the best minds” in the U.S. meet to lead energy research. Chu says the building will help in the development of energy alternatives, like cheaper battery-operated vehicles.
In Every New Volt, There’s a Little Argonne
This month, thousands of new Chevy Volt owners will begin the real road tests of the first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric car. While much of the car’s engineering is unique, consumers may be unaware that some of its most extraordinary technology is inside the nearly 400-lb. battery that powers the vehicle in electric mode.
The battery’s chemistry is based in part on a revolutionary breakthrough pioneered by scientists at Argonne National Laboratory. The new development helps the Volt’s battery—a lithium-ion design similar to those in your cell phone or laptop—last longer, run more safely and perform better than batteries currently on the market.
Argonne’s Battery Tech: A Government Licensing Success Story
I recently learned of a compelling instance of U.S. government-funded clean tech research translating into widely commercialized technology through green patent licensing.
Argonne National Laboratory announced last month that LG Chem and General Motors had completed licensing agreements to use Argonne’s patented composite cathode material in the lithium-ion batteries that power the Chevy Volt.
