Research Highlights

Phase diagram of the van der Waals ferromagnet VI3 under pressure

Van der Waals (vdW) materials are versatile systems for the study of magnetism in low dimensions. Motivated by the potential tunability of the new vdW ferromagnet VI3, a microscopic and thermodynamic study on bulk single crystals were performed under hydrostatic pressure using new techniques developed at Ames Laboratory.

The Surface Structure of Semiconductor Nanoparticles Revealed

By mixing precipitated nanoparticles (NP) with boron nitride (BN) a 9-fold improvement in DNP NMR sensitivity was realized compared to established DNP protocols. This new protocol enables challenging 2D NMR experiments that reveal the structure and connectivity of atoms in a variety of semiconductor NP systems.

Direct imaging of unstained DNA origami

DNA origami was deposited and directly imaged using scattering transmission electron microscopy, with spatial resolution adequate for detecting key nanometer-scale structural details. This work presents proof-of-concept results demonstrating that electron microscopy can be used to resolve key elements of DNA-based structures without the use of staining protocols.

Tailor Plasmons in Pentacene/Graphene Heterostructures with Interlayer Electron Transfer

Van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, which are produced by the precise assemblies of varieties of two-dimensional (2D) materials, have demonstrated many novel properties and functionalities. Here we report a nanoplasmonic study of vdW heterostructures that were produced by depositing ordered molecular layers of pentacene on top of graphene.

Catalyzing the Transformation of Waste Plastics into Value-Added Products

Selective catalytic hydrogenolysis provides high-quality, value-added liquid products from polyethylene, enabling upcycling of an untapped feedstock

Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Using Radicals Created by γ-Irradiation

γ-irradiation induced the formation of stable radicals that were used to polarize 29Si and 1H spins in inorganic and organic solids by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). γ-irradiation will enable magic angle spinning (MAS) DNP experiments on previously inaccessible non-porous inorganic solids and insoluble polymers.

Interplay between magnetism and superconductivity probed by controlled disorder

Introducing disorder through electron irradiation simultaneously suppresses the magnetic and superconducting transition temperatures. The effects of non-magnetic disorder reveals the non-trivial influence of non-magnetic disorder on coupled superconductivity and magnetism in iron based superconductors.

Rapid Threading of Polymers through Mesoporous Silica for Bioinspired Catalytic Polymer Upcycling

We have proved that polyethylene (PE) threads into silica pores, demonstrated that pores induce all-anti conformation of PE, and described in-and-out polymer motion and its energetics.

Controlling Water-Surface Interactions Enhances Catalytic Performance in C-C Bond Forming Reactions

A new catalyst that allows using water instead of organic solvents in C-C bond forming reactions is presented. A simple method is developed for regulating the dielectric properties of solid-liquid interfaces. This approach can decrease the environmental impact of catalytic conversions.

Squeezed Nanocrystals

We have developed and validated a model which predicts size-independent shapes of metal nanoparticles that are supported on a solid surface and blanketed by a two-dimensional material such as graphene.