Burnt bacon could become a thing of the past with new cookware that uses a patented graphite foam developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The lightweight material distributes heat much faster and more uniformly than conventional materials, allowing food to be cooked in a fraction of the time. Conversely, pots and pans cool in just minutes. "We see many advantages for cooks of all skill levels," said James Klett of the Materials Science and Technology Division. By cooking faster, this cookware would also help conserve energy required not only to cook but also to cool the kitchen during summer months. The material, an R&D 100 Award winner in 2000, is also being used to help cool oil on at least one make of motorcycle and has dozens of other potential applications. The project was funded through the division's technology maturation program.
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