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Highlights

Highlights

Cover image of MXenes
Cover image of MXenes
May 16, 2023
Big Idea: Understanding the Rules of Life

Direct Synthesis and CVD of 2D MXenes

Novel chemical reactions enable scalable and atom-economic synthesis of two-dimensional metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes). These directly synthesized MXenes from the University of Chicago show excellent energy storage capacity for Li-ion intercalation.
The four exposed probosces that comprise the jaws of bloodworms. On the right is a scanning electron micrograph of a single jaw.
The four exposed probosces that comprise the jaws of bloodworms. On the right is a scanning electron micrograph of a single jaw.
May 15, 2023
University of California, Santa Barbara

A Multi-tasking Polypeptide from Bloodworm Jaws

Matthew Helgeson, UCSB J. Herbert Waite, UCSB
The key protein that helps bloodworms form copper-based mineral composites to make very strong jaws has been identified along with the several functions that it serves.
Controlling functional groups and polymer architectures allows the relative amount of lithium ions transported (the transference number) to be enhanced without much detriment to the total ionic conductivity.
Controlling functional groups and polymer architectures allows the relative amount of lithium ions transported (the transference number) to be enhanced without much detriment to the total ionic conductivity.
May 15, 2023
University of California, Santa Barbara

High-Performance Polymer Solid Electrolytes

Raphaële Clément, UCSB Javier Read de Alaniz, UCSB Rachel Segalman, UCSB
New lithium-ion transporting polymers, suitable for use as solid electrolytes in lithium ion batteries have been developed based on controlling the dielectric properties of polymers and details of the polymer architecture. Many lithium-transporting polymers, which could play a central role in the future of solid-state lithium batteries, suffer from poor lithium conductivity, even if the total conductivity could be high due to the counterions moving. MRSEC IRG-2 researchers have devised strategies to ensure that it is the lithium that moves, making these materials useful. 
Stability of XYZ half-Heusler and XY2Z Heusler compounds as a function of their valence electron counts. On the right are the unit cells depicting the structures of these compounds.
Stability of XYZ half-Heusler and XY2Z Heusler compounds as a function of their valence electron counts. On the right are the unit cells depicting the structures of these compounds.
May 15, 2023
University of California, Santa Barbara

Heusler Compounds: To Alloy or Not to Alloy?

Justin Mayer, UCSB Ram Seshadri, UCSB
Rules for the creation of alloys within the family of Heusler compounds, which are ordered compounds formed between metals, have been broadly formulated. Heusler compounds are important functional materials, used for their magnetic and thermoelectric properties. These rules will help in designing new materials with optimized functionality. The results directly support the goals of IRG-1 Magnetic Intermetallic Mesostructures since the controlled formation of single-phase and mesostructured magnetic Heusler materials is central to the project.
Plant Leaf ELMs Undergo Shape Shifting Driven by External Stimuli
Plant Leaf ELMs Undergo Shape Shifting Driven by External Stimuli
May 15, 2023
University of California - San Diego

Plant Leaf ELMs Undergo Shape Shifting Driven by External Stimuli

Jiayu Zhao, Yvonne Ma, Nicole Steinmetz, Jinhye Bae, UC San Diego
Plant/polymer composite materials have been fabricated. These  composite  materials  are  stimuli responsive  and  can  undergo  shape-shifting   behavior   in   response   to temperature or light. 
A Multiphysics Approach for the Self-Assembly of Nanocrystal Checkerboards
A Multiphysics Approach for the Self-Assembly of Nanocrystal Checkerboards
May 15, 2023
University of California - San Diego

A Multiphysics Approach for the Self-Assembly of Nanocrystal Checkerboards

Pedram Abbasi, David Fenning, Tod Pascal, UC San Diego
IRG1 has developed a toolkit for carrying out simulated X-ray   adsorption   spectroscopy   (XAS).   XAS   is   a powerful technique for understanding the surface local structure  and  chemistry  of  complex  interfaces  at  the nanoscale.
Discovery of bilayer nanoparticle (NP) superlattices using global Monte Carlo optimization
Discovery of bilayer nanoparticle (NP) superlattices using global Monte Carlo optimization
May 15, 2023
University of California - San Diego

Discovery of bilayer nanoparticle (NP) superlattices using global Monte Carlo optimization

Yilong Zhou, Gaurav Arya, Duke University
IRG1 has developed a computational framework for understanding how nanoparticles (NPs) assemble at the  interface  between  two  immiscible  fluids.
Where Materials Begin and Society BenefitsFirst Demonstration of Controlled Grafting-from ROMP Bioconjugates
Where Materials Begin and Society BenefitsFirst Demonstration of Controlled Grafting-from ROMP Bioconjugates
May 15, 2023
University of California - San Diego

Where Materials Begin and Society BenefitsFirst Demonstration of Controlled Grafting-from ROMP Bioconjugates

Derek Church, Elizabathe Davis, Adam Caparco, Nicole Steinmetz, Jon Pokorski, UC San Diego
This  is  the  first  demonstration  of  living ring  opening  metathesis  polymerization (ROMP) from a biological substrate.
Top: Electron microscope image of released artificial cilia arrays. The image of a cilium cross-section showing the platinum (white) and titanium (black) is in the bottom-right inset. Bottom: The cilia metasurface consists of a chip with 4 x 4 arrays of cilia units.
Top: Electron microscope image of released artificial cilia arrays. The image of a cilium cross-section showing the platinum (white) and titanium (black) is in the bottom-right inset. Bottom: The cilia metasurface consists of a chip with 4 x 4 arrays of cilia units.
May 14, 2023
Big Idea: Materials Under Extreme Conditions, Synthetic Materials Biology

Breakthrough in Artificial Cilia Materials Opens the Door to Programmable Microfluidic Manipulation

W. Wang, Q. Liu, I. Tanasijevic, M. F. Reynolds, M. Z. Miskin, M. C. Cao, D. A. Muller, A. C. Molnar, E. Lauga, P. L. McEuen, and I. Cohen (Cornell University) A. J. Cortese (OWiC, Inc.)
Many organisms use cilia to control fluids at the microscale. Engineering a cilia platform with comparable capabilities, however, has remained elusive. Now, Cornell researchers have taken a step towards such systems by creating electronically-actuated artificial cilia that can create arbitrary flow patterns in liquids near a surface. The team first created voltage-actuated cilia that can drive surface flows at tens of microns per second with only 1 volt applied.
(i) Oscillations of power between light waves in nearby waveguides can be removed by loss. (ii) The same principle can be used to eliminate oscillations of photon population in a three-wave mixing (TWM) process (a  b,c). However, rather than using loss, a second-harmonic generation (SHG) process can coherently move photons to a fourth wave (c  d). (iii) This process can be used to achieve under- or over-damped behavior, corresponding to unbroken or broken parity-time-symmetric phase.
(i) Oscillations of power between light waves in nearby waveguides can be removed by loss. (ii) The same principle can be used to eliminate oscillations of photon population in a three-wave mixing (TWM) process (a  b,c). However, rather than using loss, a second-harmonic generation (SHG) process can coherently move photons to a fourth wave (c  d). (iii) This process can be used to achieve under- or over-damped behavior, corresponding to unbroken or broken parity-time-symmetric phase.
May 14, 2023
Big Idea: Quantum Leap

Lossless Removal of Unwanted Waves from Photonic Devices

N. Flemens and J. Moses, Cornell University
Normally, unwanted oscillations are removed from a dynamical system through the introduction of energy loss. In materials used for moving photons between light waves of different frequencies – a key process, e.g., for transfer of information between nodes of a quantum network – unwanted oscillations between photon populations can limit device efficiency and cause instability and noise.

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