Chemical Diagnostics and Engineering

Combining engineering design, polymers, material science, and state-of-the-art research in analytical chemistry

The Chemical Diagnostics and Engineering (C-CDE) Group supports stockpile manufacturing and surveillance, applied and basic energy sciences, threat reduction, industrial process and control, public health, and the environment.

We leverage our expertise in analytical chemistry of materials to advance R&D programs in manufacturing, surveillance, and hazard response. Our teams benefit from the latest technological advancements to solve practical problems facing the nation.

Providing Lab-wide emergency response
and supporting the Lab’s weapons mission

C-CDE is home to unique experimental capabilities, spanning advanced surface science, polymer compounding, and 3D printing. Niche analytical instrumentation supports efforts in weapons materials, threat reduction, applied energy, and public health.

CDE is routinely asked to analyze uranium metal, uranium oxide, uranium hydride, and uranium nitride for chemical identification, isotopic composition, sample homogeneity, and purity. We have several different methods to characterize uranium, including laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and solution ICP-MS.