Biography
Research interests
- Lithium materials processing
- Consolidation and characterization of ceramics
- Rare-Earth metal recovery and recycling
- Used Nuclear Fuel reprocessing
Current position(s)
Staff Scientist
Career path
- Postdoctoral Research Staff Member, High Performance Materials Group
- Staff Scientist, High Performance Materials Group
Highlights
https://pls.llnl.gov/article/52616/lithium-hydride-advanced-technologies
Subject Matter Expertise
Lithium materials, ceramics, sintering, liquid-liquid solvent extraction, metal extraction, radiolysis
Education
- Ph.D., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 2018
- M.S., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 2015
- B.S., Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 2012
Publications
2025 1 publication
- P. W. F. Evans, C. G. Bustillos, H. Charalambous, A. E. Wilson-Heid, J. Shittu, A. J. Swift, J. Root, W. L. Du Frane, Pressureless Sintering of Lithium Hydride. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 2025, 45(5), 117152, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2024.117152
2023 4 publications
- J. Rivera, Q. Yang, C. G. Bustillos, S. Chandrasekran, A. Wat, E. Sobalvarro, A. Pascall, J. D. Kuntz, Mechanical Response of Architected Boron Carbide-Aluminum Lattice Composites Fabricated Via Reactive Metallic Infiltration of Hierarchical Pore Structures. Materials Today Communication,2023, 37, 107550, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2023.107550
- C. G. Bustillos, R. Ngelale, M. Nilsson, Low and High LET Degradation Studies of Metal-Loaded Organic Phase Ligands in the ALSEP Process. Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 2023, 41:4, 449 – 482, https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2023.2202224
- C. G. Bustillos, G. C. S. King, T. Baumer, C. K. I. Sio, M. Bora, J. R. Root, J. D. Kuntz, W. L. Du Frane, Densification and Microstructure Features of Lithium Hydride Fabrication. Annals of Nuclear Energy,2023, 185, 109709, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2023.109709
- C. G. Bustillos, M. Bora, G. C. S. King, S. Matt, C. Haertling, W. L. Du Frane, Moisture ingress in commercial steel drums: Water content determination, diffusion modelling and predicted permeation rates. Packag Technol Sci. 2023; 1-19, http://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2715
2022 1 publication
- C. G. Bustillos, M. Bora, L. Thornley, G. C. S. King, J. Cahill, J. Kuntz, W. L. Du Frane, Segregation of Impurities in Metallic Lithium Through Melt Settling, Proceedings of the Liquid Metal Processing & Casting Conference 2022, 301 – 307.
2019 1 publication
- C. G. Bustillos, C. A. Hawkins, R. Copping, S. D. Reilly, B. L. Scott, I. May, M. Nilsson. Complexation of High-Valency Mid-Actinides by a Lipophilic Schiff Base Ligand: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Progress toward Selective Extraction, Inorg. Chem., 2019, 58, 3559 – 3563, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b02849
2016 1 publication
- C. A. Hawkins, C. G. Bustillos, I. May, R. Copping, M. Nilsson. Water-soluble Schiff base-actinyl complexes and their effect on the solvent extraction of f-elements, Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 15415 – 15426, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6DT01357K
2014 1 publication
- C. A. Hawkins, C. G. Bustillos, R. Copping, B. L. Scott, I. May, M. Nilsson. Challenging conventional f-element separation chemistry – reversing uranyl(VI)/lanthanide(III) solvent extraction selectivity, Chem. Commun., 2014, 50, 8670 – 8673, https://doi.org/10.1039/C4CC03031A
Awards
LLNL Weapon Technologies and Engineering Program Bronze Award, 2025
Global Security Directorate Silver Award, 2024
Physical and Life Sciences Directorate Award, 2023
WCI Gold Award, 2022
Materials Science Division Spot Award, 2021
William R. Harburger Memorial Dissertation Fellowship, 2018
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Graduate Fellowship, 2017
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Graduate Fellowship, 2016
Glenn T. Seaborg Summer Research Fellowship, 2015
Glenn T. Seaborg Summer Research Fellowship, 2014
NIH Undergraduate Maximizing Access to Research Careers Fellowship, 2012