Green Options » Argonne National Laboratory

Superhard and Slick Coating Paves the Way for the Lubricants of the Future

Tina Casey — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:49:40 +0000

Researchers are racing to develop sustainable lubricants made from plants, but there’s one big stumbling block: friction. Biobased lubricants that are less effective than petroleum would result in more friction, meaning more wear and tear along with lower fuel efficiency and generally higher emissions. Enter the new Superhard and Slick Coating, which just won an award from R&D Magazine as one of the top innovations of the year.

The high tech self-lubricating coating can be applied to almost any metal used in engines and machinery. Compared to uncoated surfaces, in both lab and engine tests Superhard and Slick Coating cut friction by up to 80%, and it virtually eliminated wear and scuffing. With the focus off of petroleum as a baseline for performance, researchers will have more flexibility to develop new alternative lubricants that are biodegradable, nontoxic and sustainable.

Obama Unveils Largest-Ever Investment in Advanced Batteries

Timothy B. Hurst — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:07:02 +0000

President Obama announces $2.4 billion in grants to speed the manufacturing and deployment of the next generation of batteries and electric vehicles

As part of the $787 billion stimulus package approved in February, Congress agreed to include $2 billion in research and development grants for advanced battery technologies, and today, speaking in Elkhart, Indiana, the President announced that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will fund 48 new advanced battery and electric drive components manufacturing and electric drive vehicle deployment projects in over 20 states.

The President said the announcement marks the single largest investment in advanced battery technology for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles ever made.

To Build a Better Battery

Lisa Wojnovich — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:50:37 +0000

In the 1980s, the United States semiconductor industry was saved from moving completely overseas by the formation of a consortium called Sematech, a coalition of businesses designed to promote research and foster partnerships among the members. In a recent and similar move, the U.S. lithium-ion battery industry has formed the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture, which they are thankfully just calling the “Alliance” for the sake of brevity, to support the development and manufacture of new battery technology for hybrid and electric vehicles and to maintain a competitive edge against the Asian companies currently dominating the market.