News Releases

Under pressure: a new experimental apparatus gathers more insight on magnetic and superconducting states

A new technique developed at Ames Laboratory lets scientists study a material's specific heat while it's subjected to high pressure, a breakthrough that allows mapping of electronic, magnetic, and structural phase transitions, how those transitions interact and ultimately to control them for desired properties.

high pressure measurement of superconductors

How do you know it’s perfect graphene? The answer has been there all along

Ames Laboratory scientists have discovered an indicator that reliably demonstrates a graphene sample’s high quality, and it was one that was hiding in plain sight for decades, using low energy electron diffraction, a technique commonly used in physics to study the crystal structure of the surfaces of solid materials.

CMI to feature award-winning aluminum alloy for additive manufacturing at Defense TechConnect

A new Al-Ce additive manufacturing alloy invented by the Critical Materials Institute, an Energy Innovation Hub sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, will be featured at the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit and Expo Oct. 8-10, National Harbor, Maryland.

aluminum-cerium turbines installed to generate electricity from moving water

How long does memory last? For shape memory alloys, the longer the better

Scientists at Ames Laboratory are looking at using shape memory alloys -- think unbreakable eye-glass frames -- taking advantage of their elastocaloric effect, which is a cooling effect that happens when the alloy is cyclically acted upon by mechanical forces. Heat pumping systems designed in that way could lead to greener, more energy efficient HVAC and refrigeration systems than currently available gas compression models.

Direct microscopy imaging reveals details in DNA origami nanostructures

Scientists at Ames Laboratory are now able to see greater details of DNA origami nanostructures, which will lead to a greater understanding and control of their assembly for future applications.The Ames Lab research group was able to directly capture images of fine details in unstained DNA origami nanostructures using a particular type of scanning transmission electron microscopy called high-angle angular annular dark field STEM.

Scientists discover potential path to improving samarium-cobalt magnets

Scientists from the Critical Materials Institute and Ames Laboratory have discovered a potential tool to enhance magnetization and magnetic anisotropy, making it possible to improve the performance of samarium-cobalt magnets.

Critical Materials Institute: Shining new and better light on research and industry collaborations

It was, in a manner of speaking, the ultimate light bulb moment when General Electric’s Lighting business and the Critical Materials Institute first joined forces in 2013 to solve a manufacturing challenge. The partnership resulted in new materials, new patents, and new processes to make GE’s lighting more efficient and less reliant on difficult-to-find raw materials.

What is the pairing “glue” for electrons in iron-based high-temperature superconductors? Scientists now have more clues.

Newly published research from a team of scientists led by Ames Laboratory sheds more light on the nature of high-temperature iron-based superconductivity.

Advanced NMR at Ames Lab captures new details in nanoparticle structures

Advanced nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques at Ames Laboratory have revealed surprising details about the structure of a key group of materials in nanotechology, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), and the placement of their active chemical sites.

Critical Materials Institute wins TechConnect National Innovation Award

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Institute (CMI) led by Ames Laboratory has been selected as a 2019 TechConnect National Innovation Awardee for the innovation “Additive Manufacturing of Bonded Permanent Magnets using a Novel Polymer Matrix.”