DOE Office of Science's Research News Update: Batteries, Atmospheric Research, Nobel Prizes and More

Feature: A New View of the In-Between Years of Our Universe

Just like we use photos to reflect on memories of our past, astrophysicists want to use images of far-off galaxies to understand what the universe was like in its juvenile years. But current imaging technology can only reach so far back in history -- 90 to 95 percent of the volume of our 14-billion-year-old universe remains unseen.

Learn how the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science is supporting research into the “in-between” years of our universe and what the data can tell us about its evolution.

News Center

Toughness: A team at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has developed a new process that replicates nature’s ability to create patterned materials that are both strong and resilient. In 2021, the team used a process called frontal polymerization to create polymer materials inspired by nature. In new research, the scientists have found a way to control this process so that it forms specific crystalline patterns. These patterns have both rubbery and solid sections, a form that makes materials particularly tough and durable. The work was supported by a DOE Office of Science Energy Frontier Research Center.

Lignin: As lignin makes up about 20 to 30 percent of the dry mass of plants, it could be an incredible resource for bioproducts. However, it is very hard to break down chemically. Most processes use solvents and are complicated and energy intensive. Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed an approach that could transform lignin into valuable chemicals much more efficiently. By using physical forces like vibration, this process eliminates the need for solvents, heat, or high pressure. The team used the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) Office of Science user facility to analyze the process.

Earth’s core: Scientists used the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS, an Office of Science user facility) to gain new insights into the core-mantle boundary of Earth as well as similar regions in exoplanets. They used the X-rays to re-create possible conditions in exoplanets and examine the arrangement of atoms in the molten rock. The study provided new insights into the role of iron in molten rock and how exoplanets’ formation may be different from how Earth formed. ??

Batteries: Current lithium-ion batteries rely on nickel and cobalt. Supplies of these minerals are limited and cobalt mining has major human rights violations. Researchers at DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory showed that manganese may provide an alternative. They found that manganese can be used in an up-and-coming type of battery cathode. Manganese is both relatively abundant and cheaper than current minerals. The research used three Office of Science user facilities: the Advanced Light Source, the Molecular Foundry, and the NSLS-II.

New observatory: The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) DOE Office of Science user facility recently opened a new, cutting-edge atmospheric observatory – the Bankhead National Forest observatory in Alabama. The observatory will provide data to scientists for them to study the interactions between clouds, vegetation, and aerosols (tiny particles in the atmosphere). The data the instruments collect will help us better understand Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to improving weather and climate models. ARM is operated by nine DOE national laboratories. ?

Ferroelectrics: Ferroelectrics are materials that have electric properties that can be switched on and off. These properties improve performance and energy efficiency. These materials are important for next generation technologies like memory storage devices and computers inspired by the human brain. Researchers at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a new technique for creating precise arrangements of atoms in ferroelectrics. The technique allows researchers to create materials with tailored characteristics. The research was supported by the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, a DOE Office of Science user facility.

Science Highlight

Oil for bioenergy: Biofuels can be made from non-food oilseed crops like camelina, a relative of canola. In many oilseed crops, yellow-seeded varieties usually produce more oil than brown-seeded ones. However, camelina seeds are traditionally brown. Researchers from Montana State University and DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory disrupted a set of genes in camelina that are both responsible for oil production and making a brown seed color. The new engineered camelina produced light yellow seeds and accumulated 20 percent more oil than ordinary varieties.

In the News

CNN: Telescope with world’s largest digital camera will be a ‘game-changer’ for astronomy

The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory will photograph huge swaths of the night sky in more detail than ever before to create a “movie” of the universe.

ABC 7 Chicago: Afro-Latinx particle physicist at Batavia Fermilab aims to create opportunities for her community

This profile of Jessica Esquivel, a DOE Fermilab researcher, describes her research on muons and efforts to bring science to young people. ?

CBS News: Argonne National Laboratory team to study causes of flooding in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood

The Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS) urban integrated field laboratory is investigating why a particular neighborhood in Chicago is so vulnerable to flooding and how climate science could inform a solution.

Basic to Breakthrough: Pioneering Approaches to Energy-Efficient Supercomputing

Massive data centers to support artificial intelligence are driving huge increases in electricity use. These centers are built with the capacity to use as much electricity as could power 80,000 to 800,000 homes.

Fortunately, the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF, a DOE Office of Science user facility) has been a leader in improving energy efficiency in supercomputing. Over the course of five generations of supercomputers, OLCF has accomplished a nearly 2,000 times increase in energy efficiency per floating point operation per second (a measurement of computing power). The computers at OLCF have driven a number of advances, including using graphic processing units (GPUs) in addition to central processing units (CPUs), better system operations, and more efficient cooling infrastructure.

As high-tech companies continue to ramp up their computing while attempting to minimize electricity use, the improvements OLCF helped develop will be essential to meeting their goals.

End Note: Office of Science Supports Recent Nobel Prize Winner ?

For his work on building a new type of protein, David Baker from the University of Washington recently received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Baker has long been associated with DOE’s Office of Science. As part of his Nobel Prize-winning work, Baker drew on the resources at many DOE Office of Science user facilities. He used our X-ray light sources, supercomputers, neutron sources, and other tools to delve into the structures of proteins. The Office of Science is also a supporter of his current research. DOE’s long-term support and world-leading tools truly enable the best research in the world!

Research News Update?provides a review of recent Office of Science Communications and Public Affairs stories and features. This is only a sample of our recent work promoting research done at universities, national labs, and user facilities throughout the country.

Please see the archive on Energy.gov for past issues.