This last summer, Berkeley Lab hosted three students from Navajo Technical University in a DOE-funded initiative that partners national labs with learning institutions whose populations are historically underrepresented in science. The goal is to increase enrollment of Native American students in Navajo Tech engineering programs. Read more »
Manganese Cathodes Could Boost Lithium-ion Batteries
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are used in mobile devices, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. But supplies of nickel and cobalt, commonly used in the cathodes of these batteries, are limited. New research opens up a potential low-cost, safe alternative in manganese, the fifth most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. Read more »
Time-Resolved SAXS Screen of Small-Molecule Drug Candidates
Time-resolved, high-throughput, small-angle x-ray scattering improved the screening of small-molecule drug candidates, providing insight into how they stimulate structural transitions in protein targets. The work will speed the discovery of treatments designed to activate biomolecular dynamics associated with desired therapeutic outcomes. Read more »
A Novel Staircase Pattern in Spin-Stripe Periodicity
Striped patterns of spins in a magnetic thin film were found to evolve under an applied magnetic field in steps reminiscent of a structure known as the “Devil’s Staircase.” Such studies are valuable for understanding competing interactions at the atomic level for applications such as magnetic sensors and spintronic devices. Read more »