The sole national laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management won a 2026 R&D 100 Award in a global competition for developing innovative ceramic-metal composite materials for nuclear waste disposal. August 18, 2026
Office of Environmental Management
August 18, 2026
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The sole national laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) won a 2026 R&D 100 Award in a global competition for developing innovative ceramic-metal composite materials for nuclear waste disposal.
Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Researcher Jake Amoroso leads the laboratory’s role in the award-winning project creating durable solutions to improve nuclear waste management and lessen environmental impact. Collaborators include Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Rutgers University, Washington State University, Alfred University, Missouri University of Science and Technology and the companies Curio Legacy Ventures Inc. and California Nanotechnologies Inc. The project has been funded by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy since 2022.
“I’m incredibly proud of Jake, his team and our collaborators from academia and industry who made this achievement possible,” said SRNL Director Johney Green. “Winning an R&D 100 Award is an extraordinary accomplishment and a testament to the talent, dedication and collaboration behind this breakthrough. This recognition highlights the impact of our science and the important role SRNL plays in advancing technologies that strengthen nuclear waste management and support our nation’s energy future.”
Savannah River National Laboratory Researcher Jake Amoroso leads the laboratory’s role in a nuclear waste management project that won a 2026 R&D 100 Award.
Often referred to as the “Oscars of Innovation,” the R&D 100 Awards, presented annually by R&D World magazine, have served as the most prestigious innovation awards program for the past 60 years, honoring R&D pioneers and their revolutionary ideas in science and technology.
The SRNL-led project developed engineered cermets, which are durable ceramic-metal composites that offer advantages for nuclear waste disposal by reducing storage footprint, process complexity and waste volumes compared to current methods. Compatible with waste from both existing and next-generation reactors, they offer a practical path toward more sustainable nuclear power and advanced reactor waste management.
In 2025, SRNL’s Cory Trivelpiece led work with Silica-X Inc. on advanced engineered magmatics technology that garnered an R&D 100 Award.
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