Skip to main content

ALS

Home / News

All News & Updates

How Bulky Molecules Improve Next-Generation Solar Cells

Adding “bulky” organic molecules earlier in solar-film synthesis slows crystal growth, leading to the formation of a protective surface layer that improves durability and efficiency. These next-gen materials could revolutionize solar-cell technology, offering increased efficiency, lower cost, lighter weight, and flexible solar modules. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Surprise Mineral Precursor Found in Coral Skeletons and Mollusk Shells

Researchers studied samples from corals, mollusks, and sea urchins, at edges where mineral precursors start to form the new shell or skeleton. There, they found a surprise: corals and mollusks produced a mineral precursor that had never been observed before in living organisms or rocks, and had only recently been created synthetically. Read more »

Probing the Liquid/Vapor Interface of a Tunable Solvent

Despite the ready tunability and industrial promise of deep eutectic solvents (DESs), there have been few x-ray spectroscopy studies at their liquid/vapor interfaces—which is relevant for their use in applications such as greenhouse-gas capture. Here, researchers probed the liquid/vapor interface of a benchmark DES using complementary spectroscopies. Read more »

Mechanics of a Floating Molecular Layer for CO2 Reduction

Researchers discovered how a layer of organic molecules on a nanoparticle surface detaches to create a highly catalytic pocket for reducing CO2 to CO. The ability to probe molecular-scale events under realistic conditions with nanometer resolution will help guide the design of responsive systems for a wide range of applications, from medicine to optoelectronics. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Pacific Kelp Forests Are Far Older than We Thought

Researchers scanned newly discovered kelp fossils using x-ray tomography at the ALS. The images provided morphological information about the ancient kelp and, along with isotopic analyses, provided insights into the evolutionary history of northeastern Pacific Ocean kelp forests, which flourished more than 32 million years ago. Read more »

Jillian Hiu, Mechanical Engineering Associate

Growing up in San Jose, Jillian Hiu heard about Berkeley Lab. Now, she’s part of the research mission here, working on components for the QERLIN beamline. Find out how she combines science and art, and how her pet surprised her. Read more »

Surtsey Volcano: A Rare Window into Earth’s Oceanic Crust

Surtsey, a very young oceanic island in Iceland, emerged through explosive volcanic activity in 1963. Utilizing various techniques, including x-ray microdiffraction at the ALS, researchers gained unique insights into the transformation of volcanic glass to form mineral cements in the basaltic rock of underwater volcanoes. Read more »