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ALS Work Using Spectroscopy

These techniques are used to study the energies of particles that are emitted or absorbed by samples that are exposed to the light-source beam and are commonly used to determine the characteristics of chemical bonding and electron motion.

 

Unveiling Direct Electrochemical Oxidation of Methane at the Ceria/Gas Interface

Ceria-based oxides embedded in solid-oxide fuel cells are recognized for their critical role in managing hydrocarbon activation and carbon coking. However, even for the simplest hydrocarbon molecule, CH4, the mechanism of electrochemical oxidation at the ceria/gas interface is not well understood. This study presents a Sm-doped ceria thin-film model cell that selectively monitors CH4 direct-electro-oxidation on the ceria surface. Read more »

Strategic ALS Projects Reach Key Milestones

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of multidisciplinary teams from groups across the ALS, a spate of important milestones occurred over the past month, for projects involving the new QERLIN beamline, the MERLIN beamline upgrade, and a new chamber for computer-chip metrology in Sector 12. Read more »

Stabilizing Pristine α-Sn Thin Films for Topological Investigation

Researchers developed a recipe for the room-temperature stabilization of thin films of α-Sn, a form of elemental tin that exhibits a variety of topologically nontrivial phases, but only at low temperatures. By dramatically reducing contamination from the film’s substrate, the recipe greatly simplifies electronic structure studies. Read more »PPT-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

Room-Temperature 2D Magnet: Electronic-Structure Insights

Researchers found that small changes in how electron spins interact with each other can make a big difference in the magnetic transition temperatures of 2D magnets. Understanding such factors can help create better magnetic materials for information storage, sensors, medical imaging, and energy-efficient computing. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Case Study of Aerosol Particles Influenced by Wildfire

Researchers studied atmospheric aerosols influenced by wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. They examined the connection between particle size, chemical composition, and phase state, in particles collected during the day and at night. The information is important for modeling the effects of wildfire smoke on atmospheric properties. Read more »