SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 20, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Superconductor Technologies Inc. (STI) (Nasdaq:SCON), a leading company in high temperature superconductor (HTS) materials and related technologies, and the Department of Energy's (DOE) Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) announced that they signed a Material Transfer Agreement on October 7, 2008.
Under the terms of the agreement,
* LANL will share coated conductor substrate materials with STI
as part of LANL's research program to develop solutions for HTS
cables in power applications, and
* STI will fabricate its advanced HTS thin film materials on
the substrates provided by LANL.
The Material Transfer Agreement represents the next step in the previously announced collaborative effort between the parties. STI is applying its materials expertise to LANL's research initiative to develop HTS coated conductors for advanced power applications. Under the Material Transfer Agreement, LANL and STI will exchange coated conductor materials developed at each institution in order to allow research on their respective properties. The experimental results are expected to guide the creation of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between STI and LANL to develop technology intended to commercialize high-performance, low-cost HTS coated conductors.
HTS coated conductors offer the promise of replacing copper power transmission lines with superconducting cables that have higher capacity while minimizing resistive cable losses. HTS power distribution systems have the potential to become a key twenty-first century technology for improving the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of the electricity distribution network.
The DOE leads the United States' research and development efforts focused on HTS cables in power applications. The mission of the DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability is to lead the national effort to modernize the electric grid, enhance the reliability of the energy infrastructure and facilitate rapid recovery from disruptions to the energy supply.
About Los Alamos National Laboratory
LANL, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.
The LANL Superconductivity Technology Center (STC) coordinates a multidisciplinary program for research, development, and technology transfer in the area of high-temperature superconductivity. The focus of the STC is on effective collaborations with American industry, universities, and other national laboratories to develop electric power and electronic device applications of high-temperature superconductors.
About Superconductor Technologies Inc. (STI)
STI, headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, is a leading company in high temperature superconductor (HTS) materials and related technologies. STI currently focuses its efforts on applications in areas such as wireless networks, reconfigurable handset filters, superconducting power transmission lines and government products. Its current commercial products, including its SuperLink(r) and AmpLink solutions, help maximize the performance of wireless telecommunications networks by improving the quality of uplink signals from mobile wireless devices.
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Safe Harbor Statement
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