Feature Stories

National labs provide opportunities for faculty to collaborate on research

The DOE Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Students Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) is designed for full-time faculty to collaborate on a research project at one of 15 DOE national laboratories for enhancing research capacity and innovating STEM teaching and learning at faculty members’ home institutions. As one of the participating labs, Ames National Laboratory has hosted 65 faculty since the program started in 2005.

Bharat Bhattarai with this two students who participated in the VFP program.

Recent research reveals pathways for designing advanced spintronic materials

Scientists at Ames National Laboratory, in collaboration with Indranil Das’s group at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (India), have found a surprising electronic feature in transitional metal-based compounds that could pave the way for a new class of spintronic materials for computing and memory technologies.

Visualization of Fermi surface nesting in MnPd2In compound.

Researchers investigate using natural clays to extract rare earth elements

A team of scientists from Ames National Laboratory investigated the natural separation processes involving one of the earth’s most basic materials—clay.

Ames National Lab hosts first of its kind symposium for DOE NMR scientists

This week the U. S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames National Laboratory is hosting the first nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) symposium for researchers affiliated with DOE national laboratories.

Researchers discover a new multi-element alloy that could improve energy use in gas turbines

Researchers from Ames National Laboratory have discovered a new alloy that can replace nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys in gas turbines for both aviation and power generation.

Researchers develop a new, non-toxic method for rare earth metal processing

A team of Ames Lab researchers at the Critical Materials Innovation Hub has developed a new, safer, scalable method for producing rare earth metals that utilizes the Ames Process.

Image of neodymium salts and resulting magnet

Scientists develop rare earth free magnet for use in industrial motors

Scientists are working to find alternatives to rare-earth-based magnets that can function well in motors, because rare earth materials are expensive and can experience supply chain issues. One solution to this challenge was discovered by a team of researchers and industry partners led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy Ames National Laboratory. They developed a rare-earth-free bonded magnet that not only retains its magnetism at high temperatures, coercivity nearly doubles with a 100°C (212°F) increase from room temperature.

Ames National Laboratory scientist and inventor Iver Anderson retires

The Copper Country and curiosity were the bedrock of an inventive career in materials science.

Researchers address material challenges to make commercial fusion power a reality

Researchers from the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Ames National Laboratory and Iowa State University are leading efforts to overcome materials challenges that could make commercial fusion power a reality.

Diagram of the first wall of a fusion reactor.

DOE’s Critical Materials Innovation Hub inspires and prepares the future critical materials workforce

Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub is educating and training the critical materials workforce of the future