Members of Energy I-Corps Cohort 7
The opening session for Energy I-Corps Cohort 7 was held June 5–8, 2018, and the closing session was held July 24–26, 2018. Both sessions were held in Lakewood, Colorado.
Cohort 7 was composed of eight teams from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Teams and Technologies
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Charlie Cooper
- Entrepreneurial Leads: Vito Lombardo, Brendan Kiburg
- Industry Mentor: Jeff Margolis
Technology Description
Electron beam technology has the potential to address many of the abundant and toxic contaminants that drive water insecurity globally and poison waterways in industrial locations. While E-beams are increasingly shown to effectively treat complex and difficult to handle wastewater streams, current technology cannot compete with the low cost of conventional technologies. FNAL's next-generation, high-powered, energy-efficient technology has the potential to make E-beam cost competitive through decreased energy costs while removing contaminants not removed in conventional water treatment facilities.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Richard Skifton
- Entrepreneurial Lead: Pattrick Calderoni
- Industry Mentor: David Roberts
Technology Description
The High Temperature Irradiation Resistant thermocouple (HTIR-TC) is a breakthrough in the field of temperature measurement overcoming the two most critical thermocouple issues plaguing high-temperature operations: signal drift and instrument longevity. It is also the only sensor specifically designed for operating reliably in high-temperature radiation environments.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Su-Jong Yoon
- Entrepreneurial Lead: Jeffery A. Aguiar
- Industry Mentor: Daniel Masiel
Technology Description
We are proposing a non-expert-based platform for data analytics utilizing visual modules. The technology will enable end users to utilize a variety of tool kits that implement the latest machine and deep-learning platforms to test their intuition as well as provide a front end that can be incorporated into larger enterprise data platforms as need and demonstration of the technology grows.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Costas Tsouris
- Entrepreneurial Leads: Abhijeet P. Borole, Alex Lewis
- Industry Mentor: Jim Petrecky
Technology Description
We are developing sustainable solutions for the 21st century via conversion of waste to hydrogen and bioproducts with electrons as intermediates. This platform allows generation of clean fuel, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and a decrease in volume of waste landfilled. The technology uses microbes capable of producing or utilizing electrons integrated with electrochemical catalysis to provide high-efficiency conversions.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Lin Chen
- Entrepreneurial Lead: Elvis Zhang
- Industry Mentor: Mike Wixom
Technology Description
Lithium metal is considered to be an ideal anode for next-generation rechargeable batteries because its ultra-high theoretical capacity is more than 10 times that of graphite anodes used in current lithium-ion batteries. This technology developed at ANL greatly solves two main problems preventing the application of lithium metal anode from real-world batteries: the formation of dendrites during electrochemical cycles continuously consumes electrolytes and the dendrites can penetrate the separator. Both problems eventually lead to battery failure.
We have developed a solid-state electrolyte by chemical vapor technologies to address the two problems simultaneously and enable the use of high-energy anode for long-term cycling. Using our technology, practical rechargeable batteries can reach an energy density of >500 Wh/kg, which is about three times that of current LiCoO2/graphite batteries.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Peter Seidl
- Entrepreneurial Lead: Greggory Scharfstein
- Industry Mentor: Alan Todd
Technology Description
Our technology would benefit several industrial applications of accelerators and those that manage, procure, use, and maintain them. At the present time, procuring and operating an accelerator requires a significant investment and a large facility. Our mini-accelerator will generate a more powerful, high-quality beam at a significantly lower cost in terms of accelerator (facility) size, capital investment and operational cost.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Chad Husko
- Entrepreneurial Lead: Jonathan Logan
- Industry Mentor: Noren Pan
Technology Description
Emerging applications in sensing and biomedicine require integrated optical sensors delivered at a competitive price point. Compact laser sources capable of emitting different colors of light are critical to realizing many desired applications. ANL researchers have developed a new laser technology that addresses a wide range of spectral windows and is a potentially low-cost solution compatible with industrial silicon manufacturing.
Team Members
- Principal Investigator: Brett Helms
- Entrepreneurial Lead: Peter Christensen
- Industry Mentor: Travis Baughman
Technology Description
FLO materials are next-generation plastics with closed-loop life cycles. On the front end, they provide new opportunities for remolding and scrap recovery in manufacturing processes. On the back end, they are easily sorted from other plastics and de-polymerized in an energy-efficient manner. The de-polymerization process enables the recovery of starting materials that are so pure that they can be used for manufacturing new products without any additional processing measures. They are a counterpoint to single-use plastics in use today and may help secure a transition to a circular economy.