Five PNNL Innovations Win 2026 R&D 100 Awards
Five technologies developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and its research partners have won R&D World magazine’s 2026 R&D 100 Awards, an international competition recognizing 100 of the year’s most technologically significant products and advances.
The winning technologies could accelerate biological research, create strong bonds for advanced automotive materials, recover critical minerals from underground formations, reduce the volume of nuclear reactor waste, and improve nuclear-security monitoring.
“Every R&D 100 recognition underscores PNNL’s commitment to transform visionary science into real-world solutions,” PNNL Director Deb Gracio said. “These award-winning technologies demonstrate the ingenuity and dedication of our researchers and how their work is strengthening American competitiveness, fueling economic growth and helping address some of society’s most urgent challenges.”
The five awards bring PNNL’s total to 135 since the Laboratory began submitting entries in 1969. The winners will be honored November 19, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona. PNNL’s 2026 award-winning technologies are:
AMP2: Accelerating innovation in microbial biotechnology
Researchers at PNNL and Ginkgo Bioworks developed the Anaerobic Microbial Phenotyping Platform, or AMP2. This automated robotic laboratory system rapidly and systematically measures how anaerobic microbes — organisms that grow without oxygen — behave across a broad range of conditions. Sealed chambers are connected via robotic tracks and integrated software, streamlining biological experiments that previously required time-consuming, labor-intensive work. By accelerating the development of sustainable manufacturing and waste-conversion bioprocesses, this innovation advances solutions for energy security while delivering faster, more efficient biobased solutions to the public. AMP2 is a precursor to the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory’s Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability (M2PC), a planned large-scale, AI-enabled “self-driving” biology laboratory to be located at and operated by PNNL. EMSL is a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility at PNNL. AMP2 research leads:
- Scott Baker, Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability Lead at EMSL
- Douglas Mans, Associate Laboratory Director, Integrated Discovery Sciences Directorate
HiVe: Transforming automotive materials joining
High-Velocity Joining (HiVe) is an advanced technology for joining next-generation automotive materials without preheating or predrilling holes. Developed at PNNL, HiVe uses high-speed impact to propel fasteners or strikers at speeds of up to 300 meters per second. The resulting localized pressure and deformation rapidly create strong joints with a metallurgical bond between similar or dissimilar materials. In vehicle manufacturing, HiVe can enable stronger, safer, and more durable structures while reducing production costs and energy use. The technology advances DOE priorities in scientific innovation and management excellence by providing American manufacturers with faster, more energy-efficient production methods. PNNL research lead:
Flow-Ore™: Tapping previously unreachable critical minerals
A new extraction technology, Flow-Ore™, injects precisely engineered fluids beneath the Earth’s surface into low-grade ore deposits and depleted oil and gas reservoirs to dissolve, mobilize, and recover critical minerals and materials (CMMs). Applied at scale, Flow-Ore™ will enable the United States to meet domestic demand for CMMs. By extracting metals directly from underground formations, the process eliminates the need for extensive surface excavation, uses up to 10 times less water than other methods, and significantly reduces energy costs compared to traditional mining. This PNNL innovation supports national energy security by unlocking domestic material supplies once considered unreachable and securing domestic supply chains for essential consumer technology. PNNL research leads:
Engineered cermets for advanced reactor waste disposal
Researchers have developed durable ceramic-metal composite materials, called cermets, to safely immobilize complex radioactive waste from next-generation nuclear reactors. The dual-phase cermets can immobilize a diverse range of waste, including stainless steel with salt, silicon carbide, and oxide waste streams, more efficiently than traditional glass production methods. By achieving high waste loading and thermal stability, the technology reduces required repository storage space by tenfold while cutting operational and production costs by roughly 50 percent. This scientific innovation directly supports national energy security by accelerating the safe, sustainable deployment of advanced domestic nuclear power. This research was led by Savannah River National Laboratory, with partners from PNNL, Rutgers University, Washington State University, Alfred University, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Missouri Science and Technology. PNNL research leads:
Persistent DyNAMICS: Advancing event-driven sensing for nuclear security
Researchers from multiple laboratories collaborated to develop Persistent DyNAMICS, a coordinated sensing framework that improves awareness of nuclear fuel cycle activities. Rather than continuously transmitting high-volume raw data, sensors use local processing to generate concise, information-rich alerts. When a sensor detects an event of interest, the system can task selected sensors, including those with different sensing modalities, to collect follow-up observations to confirm and characterize the event. This approach reduces bandwidth and processing demands, supports near-real-time decision-making, and makes more efficient use of limited sensing resources. Developed for nuclear nonproliferation applications, the framework could also support other monitoring needs, including those for critical infrastructure. Led by Los Alamos National Laboratory, the development team included PNNL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Nevada National Security Sites, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. PNNL research leads:
- Lee Burke, Data Scientist
- Jereme Haack, Cybersecurity Engineer
Two additional PNNL technologies were named finalists:
VaporID: Bringing ultratrace threat detection to high-risk locations
VaporID is a PNNL-developed technology that quickly detects fentanyl and other deadly chemicals at ultratrace sensitivities to detect and identify airborne vapors of fentanyl, explosives, and other dangerous chemicals in real time at parts-per-quadrillion concentrations within seconds. A team led by PNNL and BaySpec Inc. has engineered VaporID into a compact, portable system, enabling easy deployment at borders, airports, and other high-risk locations. By replacing physical contact tests, this automated capability speeds security checks and supports national security missions by strengthening threat detection and public safety. PNNL research leads:
Sensor Fish Suite/HBET: Making water infrastructure safer for aquatic life
Researchers integrated PNNL’s Sensor Fish Suite with the Hydropower Biological Evaluation Toolset (HBET) to assess conditions aquatic animals may encounter as they pass through operating water infrastructure. Reusable, bio-inspired sensors traverse turbines, spillways, pumps, bypasses, and marine energy systems, measuring acceleration, pressure, orientation, and rotational velocity. HBET identifies key events in each passage, calculates metrics associated with shear, strikes and collisions, and produces injury-risk indicators for more than 20 fish species. Together, these tools help designers and operators improve facilities, compare operating scenarios, and reduce the need for live-animal testing — supporting both aquatic ecosystem protection and reliable domestic energy production. PNNL research lead:
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