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Macromolecular organic matter in samples of the asteroid (162173) Ryugu

We investigated the macromolecular organic matter in samples of the asteroid Ryugu—brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft—measuring its elemental, isotopic, and functional group compositions along with its small-scale structures and morphologies. Analytical methods used included spectro-microscopies, electron microscopy, and isotopic microscopy. Read more »

How a Record-Breaking Copper Catalyst Converts CO2 Into Liquid Fuels

Scientists know that copper has a special ability to transform CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels. But for many years, they struggled to understand how. Now, a research team has gained new insight by capturing real-time movies of copper nanoparticles as they convert CO2 and water into renewable fuels and chemicals: ethylene, ethanol, and propanol, among others. Read more »

Copper Migrates to Surface of Topological Insulator in Air

An ambient-pressure study of a topological insulator doped with copper revealed that the copper atoms, inserted between the material’s layers, migrate to the surface when exposed to air. The work represents a novel way of modifying the material’s surface composition, which can confer it with new properties such as superconductivity. Read more »

ALS in the News (January 2023)

Percolating Puddles in Rich Quantum Landscapes

Combining x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) with scanning micro x-ray diffraction (SµXRD), researchers found that charge density wave domains (known as “puddles”) in a nickelate material exhibit two types of dynamics: small puddles actively “percolate” (fluctuate in size and shape), while large puddles are more static. Read more »

Charge Density Wave Found in Magnetic Kagome Crystal

Researchers discovered a wave-like charge order in a magnetic material with a “kagome” geometric structure and obtained clues to the order’s origins in the material’s electronic structure. By helping to connect certain structures with emergent quantum properties, the work brings us a step closer to the goal of creating materials by design. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

First Direct Measurement of Elusive Donnan Potential

Researchers performed the first direct measurement of the Donnan electrical potential, which arises from an imbalance of charges at membrane-solution interfaces. Considered unmeasurable for over a century, the Donnan potential is relevant to a wide range of fields, from cell biology to energy storage and water desalination. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Dirac Nodal Line in Hourglass Semimetal Nb3SiTe6

Hourglass fermion in an electronic band structure is protected by the nonsymmorphic symmetry of a layered semimetal Nb3SiTe6. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy demonstrates the band features of an hourglass fermion in k-space, such as band crossings and nodal loops. Read more »

The Donnan Potential, Revealed at Last

Researchers at the ALS recently led the first direct measurement of the Donnan potential, an electric potential that arises from an imbalance of charges at the interface of a charged membrane and a liquid. The work could yield new insights in areas such as ion transport through cellular membranes, ion exchange membranes in energy storage strategies, and water purification technologies. Read more »