Producing N95 fabric that could be used in masks

National Renewable Energy Laboratory researcher works in Field Test Laboratory Building (FTLB) Lab 140, he is part of the limited essential research staff moving from idle laboratories to essential-operations mode.

At National Renewable Energy Laboratory , facilities technician scans his temperature at one of the automated temperature stations inside the Research Support Facility (RSF). Staff on-site are strongly recommended to self-monitor for symptoms by recording twice-daily temperatures as part of the Covid-19 Return to Campus plan.

A team of Sandia researchers tested materials for Albuquerque companies looking to manufacture N95-like respirators that could be used in local medical facilities. The project originated from the urgent need for personal protective equipment when the COVID-19 outbreak began. The three local small businesses, Marpac, Sierra Peaks and Sew-EZ, were matched with Sandia scientists through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance program that pairs Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratory with companies seeking help to solve technical problems.

Sandia chemist tested hand sanitizer to make sure it meets standards set by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Better cathode materials are needed in order to enable long-range EVs charged by Li-Ion batteries. One promising candidate are single crystalline Ni-rich cathodes. ..Yujing Bi is part of the research team that evaluated Ni-rich cathodes and observed microcracking, which was induced by non-uniform volume change of primary particles during cycling. The team found they could stabilize the material with various strategies, such as reducing the crystal size or by optimizing the depth of charge. ..Terms of Use: Our images are freely and publicly available for use with the credit line, "Andrea Starr | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory"

Integrated carbon capture and conversion of CO2 to methanol (ICCCM) technology is a unique and attractive solution to meet the global energy demand, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and lower CO2 emissions. When we use the ICCCM solvent to directly convert CO2 to methanol, no mechanical compression of the CO2 is required. Compressing CO2 is typically energy-intensive, so reducing the need for additional energy inputs makes the ICCCM technology a potentially viable solution to capture and convert CO2 from landfill gases, wastewater treatment gases, and manure off-gas.

From left, Alfonso Ponce, Luis Abeyta and John Bauer wear masks and stay at least six feet apart while discussing test plans for the 200-foot drop tower.