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Tracking the Breakdown of Cellulose at the Micron Scale

A time-resolved study using infrared spectromicroscopy in a carefully controlled environment revealed why enzymes get bogged down when trying to break up cellulose from plants. The work sheds new light on the challenge of extracting the sugars locked up in plants for use in making petroleum-free fuels, chemicals, and medicines. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Matthew Marcus, STXM Beamline Scientist

From the microscope at work to the telescope at home, Matthew Marcus is captivated by space sciences. In this interview, he shares some of the findings from Beamline 5.3.2.2 as well as stories from his long career in x-ray science. Read more »

Save the Date: 2024 ALS User Meeting

Don’t miss the 2024 ALS User Meeting featuring invited speakers, hands-on workshops, tutorials, and a potential collaborative workshop with the ALS and Molecular Foundry. Exciting discussions await, so mark your calendars for August 12–14. Read more »

Watching the Enzymes that Convert Plant Fiber into Simple Sugars

Research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and UC Davis sheds new light on how to access the sugars locked up in plants to produce petroleum-free fuels, chemicals, and medicines. The technique used combines a novel microfluidic device and infrared spectroscopy to study how a cellulose-degrading enzyme works in real time. Read more »

Quentin Williams, 2024 Users’ Executive Committee Chair

Living in the Santa Cruz mountains, Quentin Williams spends a lot of time tending to projects on the Earth’s surface, but his professional interests lie thousands of kilometers below. His geosciences research led him to become a long-time user of the ALS, where he is serving as the UEC chair for 2024. Learn more about his work and hear his advice for other ALS users. Read more »

UEC Special Election

In recognition of a lack of representation for the biosciences on the Users’ Executive Committee, a special election was held in accordance with UEC bylaws, and Grant Shoffner was selected to represent the biosciences community for a one-year term (2024).

How Processing Affects Structure in Composite Nanotube Yarns

Using the ALS, researchers found quantitative correlations between processing parameters and the structure of ultrafine, polymer-reinforced carbon-nanotube fibers. The work will facilitate the production of high-strength materials, including those needed for positioning target capsules for fusion research at the National Ignition Facility. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Beamline Staff and Partners Continue Science Visioning Discussions

ALS scientific staff and partners held a retreat on January 11 to continue the strategic planning process. Discussions centered around ideas presented at last September’s User Meeting visioning workshops. Stay tuned for the visioning report and ways you can take part in the future of the ALS!

ALS Hosts Facility Directors’ “6-Way” Collaboration Meeting

Last week the ALS hosted directors and staff from the five DOE-BES light sources and, for the first time, the Oak Ridge neutron sources, turning the traditional “5-way” directors’ meeting into a “6-way.” Discussions covered strategic and operational topics of common interest, spanning data and computing, instrumentation, strategic planning, metrics, user processes, and business and administrative practices.

Cobalt or Nickel: Which is Better for High-Energy Battery Cathodes?

High-energy Li-ion batteries can provide both high capacity and high voltage, both of which are important in electric vehicles for greater range and faster acceleration. Here, researchers untangled the contributions of nickel and cobalt in high-energy Li-rich battery cathodes, pointing the way to optimizing them via a compositional approach. Read more »