Mars may have been a wetter place than previously thought, according to experiments on lab-synthesized mineral samples serving as proxies for Martian meteorites. Shock experiments followed by x-ray diffraction studies showed how changes in the minerals could indicate a more water-rich history for the Red Planet. Read more »
ALSNews Vol. 384
June 28, 2017
A Closer Look at Dynamic Restructuring in Catalysts
Researchers have structurally and chemically “visualized” the surface of a silver–gold alloy as it reorganizes itself during catalytic activation. The insights gained from this methodology can lead to improved catalysts for energy-intensive industrial applications, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing waste. Read more »
ALS Gives Intel a Closer Look at Microelectronic Packages
Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chip maker, has been using the tomography capabilities at the ALS to image their microelectronic packages in 3D at high resolution with short throughput time, providing valuable information for both failure analysis and product development and proving that synchrotrons are an insightful tool for this type of imaging. Read more »
A Systematic Approach to Customizing Cyclic Proteins
Proteins consisting of identical subunits arranged symmetrically around a central axis (cyclic homo-oligomers) play key roles in many biological processes. Researchers have now developed a systematic approach to their design and demonstrated its accuracy using protein crystallography and small-angle x-ray scattering. Read more »
Fine-Tuning Oxygen Vacancies with Coherent Strain
Researchers have demonstrated a novel way to systematically strain-engineer oxygen vacancies in complex transition-metal oxide thin films. The work advances our ability to tailor such defects, small changes in which can lead to dramatic changes in material properties such as conductivity and magnetism. Read more »
Protein Complex Shows Promise for Berkelium Separation
Scientists found that the element berkelium breaks form with its heavy-element peers by taking on an extra positive charge when bound to a synthetic organic molecule. This property could help scientists develop better methods for handling and purifying nuclear materials. Read more »
Gregory Su, Physicist Postdoctoral Fellow
Gregory Su is a postdoctoral fellow studying connections between chemistry, structure, and function in soft materials by combining experimental soft x-ray spectroscopy and scattering with ab initio calculations. Su has been at the ALS since March 2016 and works primarily with the scattering group at Beamline 11.0.1.2, the Resonant Soft X-Ray Scattering (RSoXS) Beamline. Read more »
Reminder: Submit Nominations for the 2017 ALS User Meeting Awards
Nominations for the 2017 ALS User Meeting awards are due on July 14. Consider putting forward an individual (or team) who has made a significant contribution to the scientific and/or user support programs at the ALS. The online nomination forms are now on the UEC website together with a description of each award. Read more »
ALS in the News (June 2017)
- New efficient, low-temperature catalyst for converting water and CO to hydrogen gas and CO2
- Study sheds light on how bacterial organelles assemble
- R&D effort produces magnetic devices to enable more powerful x-ray lasers
- A seaweed derivative could be just what lithium-sulfur batteries need
- Nature three-dimensionally prints coral skeletons
- Researchers find a surprise just beneath the surface in carbon dioxide experiment
- 2D material’s traits could send electronics R&D spinning in new directions