The composition of the protosolar disk and the formation conditions for comets

Conditions in the protosolar nebula have left their mark in the composition of cometary volatiles, thought to be some of the most pristine material in the solar system. Cometary compositions represent the end point of processing that began in the parent molecular cloud core and continued through the collapse of that core to form the protosun and the solar nebula, and finally during the evolution of the solar nebula itself as the cometary bodies were accreting. Disentangling the effects of the various epochs on the final composition of a comet is complicated. But comets are not the only source of information about the solar nebula. Protostellar disks around young stars similar to the protosun provide a way of investigating the evolution of disks similar to the solar nebula while they are in the process of evolving to form their own solar systems. In this way we can learn about the physical and chemical conditions under which comets formed, and about the types of dynamical processing that shaped the solar system we see today. This paper summarizes some recent contributions to our understanding of both cometary volatiles and the composition, structure and evolution of protostellar disks.Comment: To appear in Space Science Reviews. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-015-0167-

Evaluation of lead-iron-phosphate glass as a high-level waste form

The lead-iron-phosphate (Pb-Fe-P) glass developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was evaluated for its potential as an improvement over the current reference nuclear waste form, borosilicate (B-Si) glass. The evaluation was conducted as part of the Second Generation HLW Technology Subtask of the Nuclear Waste Treatment Program at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The purpose of this work was to investigate possible alternatives to B-Si glass as second-generation waste forms. While vitreous Pb-Fe-P glass appears to have substantially better chemical durability than B-Si glass, severe crystallization or devitrification leading to deteriorated chemical durability would result if this glass were poured into large canisters as is the procedure with B-Si glass. Cesium leach rates from this crystallized material are orders of magnitude greater than those from B-Si glass. Therefore, to realize the potential performance advantages of the Pb-Fe-P material in a nuclear waste form, the processing method would have to cool the material rapidly to retain its vitreous structure

Advanced materials development for fossil energy conversion applications

Research activities being conducted as part of this project include: (1) fundamental studies of electrochemical processes occurring at surfaces and interfaces in fuel cells, and (2) development of novel materials synthesis and processing methodologies for fossil energy conversion applications. Complex impedance and dc polarization studies of the electrocatalytic activity at the cathode have allowed intrinsic materials properties to be separated from extrinsic properties related to morphology. Mixed conduction in cathode materials was shown to dramatically enhance electrocatalytic activity with this approach. Combustion synthesis methods were used to prepare multicomponent perovskite catalysts in the La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}Co{sub 1-y}Fe{sub y}O{sub 3} system. Electronic properties of these catalysts can be altered by adjusting the composition, which affects both catalytic activity and selectivity. Inverse micelles have been utilized to prepare nanosized nickel sulfide particles, which show promise as hydrodesulfurization catalysts for liquefied coal. Self-assembling organic monolayers and derivatized inorganic surfaces have been used to control nucleation and crystal morphology of inorganic phases