Center for Advanced Energy Studies unveils new high-tech assets
November 7th, Idaho Falls hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES). This was to announce a new scanning transmission electron microscope and a 3D metal printer.
The Center for Advanced Energy Studies is a research and education consortium among Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Boise State University, Idaho State University and University of Idaho. The center is focused on advanced materials science, nuclear science and engineering and energy systems design, energy policy and bioenergy. The new equipment increases the opportunities for collaboration with INL in several mission areas and complements INL’s advanced manufacturing strategy.
The new transmission electron microscope, a ThermoFisher FEI Spectra 300, serves as the centerpiece of CAES’s Microscopy and Characterization Suite and opens access to industry, academic and government researchers from around the world. According to David Estrada, an associate professor with Boise State’s Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering and the associate director of CAES, it is a state-of-the-art tool that will allow researchers to see individual atoms in materials. It is one among the few tools that can image radiation-emitting samples.
“This tool is a major advancement for materials research in the state of Idaho and the fact that it is at CAES shows how important the collaborations are between INL and the state’s research universities,” Estrada said. “By analyzing how the electrons interact with the material through diffraction, transmission and energy loss, we can gather much information about how atoms are arranged in a sample and their chemical composition.”
In addition to the microscope, a new 3D metal printer will add to the combined capabilities of INL’s Advanced Manufacturing Suite. Marianne Walck is deputy laboratory director for science, technology, and chief research officer at INL. CAES was awarded a Nuclear Energy University Program grant to purchase the Open Additive PANDA metal printer.
The grant was awarded to a team led by associate professor Mike Hurley of Boise State’s College of Engineering. The award stems from Hurley’s participation in the 2019 CAES Summer Visiting Faculty Program and includes team members from INL and the Boise State Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering. The suite’s combination of assets supports material development, printed substances and structural edited manufacturing at INL and its partner universities, Walck said.
The printer’s unique capabilities allow metal, ceramic and a variety of other powders to be used to manufacture structural components. A suite of electronic materials printers, nanoparticle ink synthesizers and characterization equipment are available to complement the tool for fast manufacturing of sensors and electronics. Estrada stated that such printers could be used on the International Space Station to print electronic materials. This will allow scientists to repair circuit boards directly on-site. 2024 is the date for a demonstration to demonstrate electronics printing from space.
Boise State University’s Vice President for Research and Economic Development Nancy Glenn said the partnerships among CAES and Idaho’s research universities serve as a catalyst for innovation in the state and region.
“Our universities have a unique opportunity here in Idaho to partner with INL and have access to this equipment,” said Glenn. “I am excited about the science and engineering that will come from the transmission electron microscope and 3D metal printer, the partnership opportunities that we have to grow, both within the state as well as outside the state, and the advanced training on the state-of-the-art equipment that our students will receive.”
– By Michael Freeman
