UC Irvine researchers reveal superconductivity secrets of an iron-based material

Irvine, Calif., Dec. 5, 2024 — Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have uncovered the atomic-scale mechanics that enhance superconductivity in an iron-based material, a finding published recently in Nature. Using advanced spectroscopy instruments housed in the UC Irvine Materials Research Institute, the researchers were able to image atom vibrations and thereby observe new phonons –quasiparticles that carry thermal energy –at the interface of an iron selenide (FeSe) ultrathin film layered on a strontium titanate (STO) substrate.

Argonne materials scientist Mercouri Kanatzidis wins award from American Chemical Society for Chemistry of Materials

Argonne materials scientist Mercouri Kanatzidis received the award for chemistry in materials from the American Chemical Society, the nation’s leading professional society for chemists.

A new era of research comes into focus

As the upgrade of the Advanced Photon Source nears completion at Argonne National Laboratory, scientists anticipate the experimental possibilities.

Ability to track nanoscale flow in soft matter could prove pivotal discovery

Scientists developed a novel technique using X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to study soft matter at the nanoscale. This method enables precise determination of the flow behavior of nanoparticles in soft matter exposed to an external stimulus.

Pursuing the middle path to scientific discovery

Scientists have made significant strides in understanding the properties of a ferroelectric material under an electric field. This breakthrough holds potential for advances in computer memory, lasers and sensors for ultraprecise measurements.

Researchers discover faster, more energy-efficient way to manufacture an industrially important chemical

The reactivity of zirconium on silicon nitride enhances the conversion of propane into propylene, a key commodity chemical needed to make polypropylene. This finding hints at the reactivity researchers might achieve with other nontraditional catalysts.

Scientists develop new artificial intelligence method to create material ​‘fingerprints’

Researchers at the Advanced Photon Source and Center for Nanoscale Materials of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new technique that pairs artificial intelligence and X-ray science.

Three Argonne postdocs invited to prestigious meeting of Nobel laureates

Three Argonne postdoc scientists have been invited to the prestigious Nobel Laureate Meetings in Lindau, Germany, where they will meet with past Nobel Prize winners in their fields.

Unlocking the mystery behind the performance decline in a promising cathode material

Researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory have discovered the main reason why and how one of the more promising new cathode materials degrades with repeated cycling of lithium-ion batteries. The team’s new analysis method was key to the discovery.

Argonne scientists use AI to identify new materials for carbon capture

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have used new generative AI techniques to propose new metal-organic framework materials that could offer enhanced abilities to capture carbon

Soft, living materials made with algae glow under stress

Researchers have developed soft yet durable 3D-printed materials that glow in response to mechanical stress, such as compression, stretching or twisting. The materials derive their luminescence from single-celled algae known as dinoflagellates, which are embedded within the materials. The work was inspired by the bioluminescent waves caused by dinoflagellates during red tide events at San Diego’s beaches.

A revolution in the making

Argonne National Laboratory is shaping Industry 4.0 with groundbreaking research into advanced ways of making things more effective, efficient and economical, using the most cutting-edge materials and processes, with the lowest possible environmental impact.

A real ​“rock star” moment: New mineral named after Argonne materials scientist Kanatzidis

Mercouri Kanatzidis, an Argonne and Northwestern University materials scientist, has studied sulfur-containing materials called chalcogenides for more than 30 years. A new chalcogenide mineral has just been named for him.

New energy-storing material could also be used to build electronic gadgets

Gadgets and vehicles powered by the very materials they’re built from may soon be possible, thanks to a new structural supercapacitor developed by UC San Diego engineers. The device doubles as structural support and energy storage, potentially adding more energy capacity without adding weight.

Nina Andrejevic creates better tools to quickly characterize materials

Understanding big datasets requires better analytical models, says the Maria Goeppert Mayer Fellow.

Scientists discover unusual ultrafast motion in layered magnetic materials

A team of researchers report a mechanical response across a layered magnetic material tied to changing its electron spin. This response could have important applications in nanodevices requiring ultra-precise and fast motion control.

What can we do about all the plastic waste?

The Institute for the Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics (iCOUP) is helping to address the plastic waste accumulation problem by developing the science needed to turn used plastic into valuable materials.

Sixbert Muhoza studies a new class of materials that could help fight climate change

A scholar in Argonne’s Applied Materials Division, Sixbert Muhoza is studying a new class of materials called MXenes that could improve batteries and help convert carbon dioxide to fuel.

An innovative twist on quantum bits: Tubular nanomaterial of carbon makes ideal home for spinning quantum bits

Scientists develop method for chemically modifying nanoscale tubes of carbon atoms, so they can host spinning electrons to serve as stable quantum bits in quantum technologies.

George Crabtree, energy trailblazer remembered as a ​“great listener” and ​“boundless explorer”, dead at 78

George Crabtree, director of the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research at Argonne and a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is fondly remembered for his impactful leadership that elevated energy research.

Scientists turn single molecule clockwise or counterclockwise on demand

Argonne scientists report they can precisely rotate a single molecule on demand. The key ingredient is a single atom of europium, a rare earth element. It rests at the center of a complex of other atoms and gives the molecule many practical applications.

Scientists enhance stability of new material for solar cells

Scientists at the University of Missouri used Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source to identify the structure of a perovskite material grown using chemical vapor deposition, potentially representing a breakthrough for solar cells.

Media Tip: Shock to the system: Using electricity to find materials that can learn

Is it possible for nonbiological materials to ​“learn”? The answer is yes. Scientists used the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility located at the DOE”s Argonne National Laboratory, to observe a nonliving material mimic behavior…

Army strong: Research teams join forces to invent weld wire for tank, infrastructure repair

The U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense teamed up to create a series of weld filler materials that could dramatically improve high-strength steel repair in vehicles, bridges and pipelines. This novel weld wire could help revitalize America’s aging infrastructures, which in 2021 received a C- grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Microbial miners could help humans colonize the moon and Mars

The biochemical process by which cyanobacteria acquire nutrients from rocks in Chile’s Atacama Desert has inspired engineers at the University of California, Irvine to think of new ways microbes might help humans build colonies on the moon and Mars.

New machine-learning simulations reduce energy need for mask fabrics, other materials

A new computational effort between Argonne and 3M promises to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing material quality in the production of nonwoven plastics, commonly used in surgical masks.

Entrepreneurship program at Argonne National Laboratory opens applications for startups

Chain Reaction Innovations, the entrepreneurship program at Argonne National Laboratory, is accepting applications for its next fellowship cohort.

Scientists use machine learning to accelerate materials discovery

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have recently demonstrated an automated process for identifying and exploring promising new materials by combining machine learning (ML) and high performance computing.

Just by changing its shape, Argonne scientists show they can alter material properties

Argonne scientists have observed that when the shape of a thin film of metal oxide known as titania is confined at the mesoscale, its conductivity increases. This finding demonstrates that nanoscale confinement is a way to control quantum effects.

LED Material Shines Under Strain

A team led by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley has demonstrated an approach for achieving LEDs with near 100% light-emission efficiency at all brightness levels.

Now in 3D: Deep learning techniques help visualize X-ray data in three dimensions

A team of Argonne scientists has leveraged artificial intelligence to train computers to keep up with the massive amounts of X-ray data taken at the Advanced Photon Source.

This crystal impurity is sheer perfection

Scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have developed a nanoparticle composite that grows into 3D crystals. The new 3D-grown material could speed up production and eliminate errors in the mass manufacturing of nanoscale photonics for smart buildings or actuators for robotics.

UCI-led team develops transplant biomaterial that doesn’t trigger immune response

Irvine, Calif., June 3, 2021 — A multidisciplinary research team led by Jonathan Lakey, Ph.D., professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine, has developed a biomaterial for pancreatic islet transplants that doesn’t trigger the body’s immune response. Based on stem cell technology, hybrid alginate offers a possible long-term treatment for Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune reaction that destroys pancreatic islets’ beta cells, which regulate blood glucose levels.