TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY Single Crystal Uranium Fabrication Through Molten Salt Electrodeposition

TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY

Single Crystal Uranium Fabrication Through Molten Salt Electrodeposition

Molten salt electrodeposition method to fabricate high-quality single crystal uranium dendrites, setting new standards in efficiency and applicability across multiple sectors.

Opportunity:   Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), offers the opportunity to explore a license and/or collaborative research agreement to commercialize this uranium crystal fabrication method. This technology transfer opportunity is part of a dedicated effort to convert government-funded research into job opportunities, businesses, and, ultimately, an improved way of life for the American people.

Overview:        Single-crystal metals like uranium offer exceptional properties that make them vital in a range of applications, including but not limited to superconductors and nuclear reactor fuels. The conventional method for creating these single-crystal structures has been the Czochralski process, which has its set of drawbacks such as elevated operating temperatures. The search for an efficient alternative has thus far remained an industry challenge.

Description:    The method developed at INL employs low-voltage or low-current electrodeposition in a LiCl-KCl-UCl3 salt system to create single-crystal uranium dendrites. Unlike traditional methods, this innovative technique enables the formation of single crystals at substantially lower temperatures. The process involves a specialized electrochemical cell, complete with electrodes and a power source, to enable the controlled deposition of uranium from a feed material.

Benefits:          

• Simplified and streamlined process.
• Operable at lower temperatures than conventional methods.
• Flexible experimental setup allows for the production of different single-crystal uranium configurations.

Applications:    

• Superconductor research and development.
• Advanced fuels for next-generation nuclear reactors.
• Material science for technological advancements.
• Potentially extendable to other metals beyond uranium for broader applications.

Development Status:  The technology has achieved a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5, indicating that it has been validated at the laboratory/bench scale in a relevant environment.  

IP Status:         Provisional Patent Application No. 63/520,880, “Methods of Electrodepositing a Single Crystal Metal and Related Systems,” BEA Docket No. BA-1384.

INL seeks to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available. Added value is placed on relationships with small businesses, start-up companies, and general entrepreneurship opportunities.

Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.