Materials Sciences and Engineering News

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In hot pursuit of 21st century cooling

Ames Laboratory's research efforts in caloric materials was highlighted in a recent article from APS Physics.

Stability by fluctuation: topological materials outperform through quantum periodic motion

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory have discovered that applying vibrational motion in a periodic manner may be the key to preventing dissipations of the desired electron states that would make advanced quantum computing and spintronics possible.

Paper named one of Nanoscale's most popular in 2019

A journal paper published by Pat Thiel and fellow researchers at Ames Laboratory was one of the most popular published in Nanoscale in 2019.

DOE Awards $187 Million to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness

The funding includes $4.9M to Ames Laboratory for research in the manufacturing of aluminum-cerium alloys for harsh environments.

Aaron Rossini named 2020 Sloan Research Fellow

Aaron Rossini, assistant professor of chemistry and senior scientist at Ames Laboratory, has earned a 2020 Sloan Research Fellowship for achievements that designate him as one of the nation’s most outstanding early-career researchers.

Ames Lab’s testing device speeds the way to new refrigeration technology

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory is employing a testing device that pairs materials science with engineering systems development. Called CaloriSMART (Caloric Small-scale Modular Advanced Research Test-stand), the one-of-a-kind system is being used to rapidly test new materials that might eventually be part of an entirely new kind of refrigeration technology for the 21st century and beyond.

Lucas Griffith with the CaloriSMART system

What’s MER? It’s a way to measure quantum materials, and it’s telling us new and interesting things

Experimental physicists have combined several measurements of quantum materials into one in their ongoing quest to learn more about manipulating and controlling the behavior of them for possible applications. They even coined a term for it-- Magneto-elastoresistance, or MER.

Graphic representation of magneto-elastoresistance

Atom-by-atom: Ames Lab’s powerful microscopes help scientists redefine understanding of antiferroelectrics

Ames Laboratory’s capabilities in viewing materials atom-by-atom at its Sensitive Instrument Facility (SIF) regularly helps scientists discover new rules of quantum behavior. Now, the Laboratory’s powerful microscopes have corrected a long held structural model in a class of materials called antiferroelectrics.

Micrograph showing alignment of atoms in antiferroelectrics

Ames Lab paper a Matter Editor's pick for 2019

Ames Lab paper a Matter Editor's pick

Ames Laboratory collaborates on development of elastocaloric material

An international research team led by the University of Maryland has developed a novel elastocaloric cooling material that is highly efficient, eco-friendly and easily scaled-up for commercial use. The researchers new cooling material is a nickel-titanium alloy that was sculpted using additive technology (3-D printing). Their work is published in the November 29 issue of Science.

graphic representation of 3D metal printing