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Title: Rapid Discovery of Materials

Abstract

No abstract prepared.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US); Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (US)
Sponsoring Org.:
US Department of Energy (US)
OSTI Identifier:
787795
Report Number(s):
SAND2001-3222
TRN: AH200134%%265
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1 Oct 2001
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; MATERIALS; DETECTION; TIME DEPENDENCE

Citation Formats

LOY, DOUGLAS A., SOTO, ELI E., and WHEELER, DAVID R. Rapid Discovery of Materials. United States: N. p., 2001. Web. doi:10.2172/787795.
LOY, DOUGLAS A., SOTO, ELI E., & WHEELER, DAVID R. Rapid Discovery of Materials. United States. doi:10.2172/787795.
LOY, DOUGLAS A., SOTO, ELI E., and WHEELER, DAVID R. Mon . "Rapid Discovery of Materials". United States. doi:10.2172/787795. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/787795.
@article{osti_787795,
title = {Rapid Discovery of Materials},
author = {LOY, DOUGLAS A. and SOTO, ELI E. and WHEELER, DAVID R.},
abstractNote = {No abstract prepared.},
doi = {10.2172/787795},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001},
month = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001}
}

Technical Report:

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  • The design, discovery and growth of novel materials, especially in single crystal form, represents a national core competency that is essential for scientific progress and long-term economic growth. Indeed, many of the major discoveries of condensed matter science during the last fifty years have been made possible by the discovery of new materials. Recently revealed phenomena such as high Tc superconductivity and the quantum Hall effect, for example, represent new states of matter that emerge from the collective behavior of large numbers of electronic, magnetic and lattice degrees of freedom. Such materials challenge our fundamental understanding of matter and providemore » novel materials functionality. New materials also lie at the core of many new and existing technologies, such as semiconductor electronics, solid state lasers, radiation detectors, compact disk storage, both cellular and optical communications, solar cells, fuel cells and catalysts. Such materials further hold the promise for new technologies ranging from efficient indoor and traffic lighting, to multi-component data storage, integrated bioelectronic sensors, and thermoelectric power generation. Single crystals are often required to achieve a materials’ full functionality as well as to completely elucidate its properties. A Department-of-Energy-sponsored workshop was held on Oct. 10-12, 2003 in Ames, Iowa with the purpose of assessing the state of novel materials and crystal growth in the U.S. Leaders of broad areas of synthesis and condensed matter science reviewed present U.S. strengths, levels of support, and competition from abroad. The principal finding of the workshop is that the current U.S. infrastructure and personnel levels are insufficient to meet the growing demand for high quality, specialized samples, and to maintain international competitiveness in an area vital to the nation’s condensed matter science enterprise. We further risk being unable to fully exploit the nation’s world- leading leading capabilities in neutron and x-ray science, even as powerful new facilities come on line. This situatio n is exacerbated by the several decade- long decline of traditionally strong industrial expertise in crystal synthesis, by the relatively small number of synthesis scientists being trained in U.S. universities and national laboratories, and by increasing support for single crystal materials synthesis in Europe and Japan. The principal recommendation of the workshop is that the Department of Energy should act to close the gap in U.S. based design, discovery and growth of novel materials for basic research by growing and coordinating the nation’s existing crystal growth efforts, by adding qualitatively new capabilities, and by significantly enhancing Ph.D. and postdoctoral training opportunities in universities, national laboratories and industry. Specifically, the workshop recommendations are: 1) to broadly increase the level of funding for individual research activities in new materials and single crystal growth, 2) to establish a novel, national materials design, discovery and growth network with unprecedented interconnectivity, and 3) to create multi- investigator materials preparation facilities that feature specialized capabilities, provide samples on - a priority basis, and offer training in advanced techniques. We believe these recommendations will strengthen the U.S. base in materials synthesis at all levels, optimize the use of national resources, and integrate the materials synthesis community more effectively into the larger U.S. condensed matter science enterprise for maximum impact.« less
  • The combinatorial approach for the discovery of new scintillating materials has been investigated using the wet-chemical (sol-gel) synthesis methods. Known scintillating compounds Lu2SiO5 (LSO) and (LuAl)O3 (LAO) and solid solutions in the systems of Lu2O3 -Y2O3 – SiO2 (CeO2-doped) (LYSO) and Lu2O3 -Y2O3 – Al2O3 (CeO2 –doped) (LYAO) were synthesized from sol-gel precursors. Sol-gel precursors were formulated from alkoxides and nitrates and acetates of the cations. Sol-gel solution precursors were formulated for the printing of microdot arrays of different compositions in the above oxide systems. Microdot arrays were successfully printed on C-cut and R-cut sapphire substrates using Biodot printer atmore » Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The microdot arrays were adherent and stable after heat-treating at 1665oC and had an average thickness of around 2m. X-ray fluorescence elemental mapping showed the arrays to be of the correct chemical composition. Sintered microdots were found to be highly crystalline by microscopic observation and X-ray diffraction. Scintillation was not clearly detectable by visual observation under UV illumination and by video observation under the scanning electron beam of an SEM. The microdots were either poorly scintillating or not scintillating under the present synthesis and testing conditions. Further improvements in the synthesis and processing of the microdot arrays as well as extensive scintillation testing are needed.« less
  • Hydrogen promises to be an attractive transportation fuel in the post-fossil fuel era. Relatively abundant and clean burning (water being the principal byproduct), hydrogen offers the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are significant technical barriers that require solutions before hydrogen can be implemented in large scale. These are: · Sources (e.g. hydrocarbon, water) · Transportation · Storage Each of the aforementioned barriers carries with it important considerations. First, would a hydrocarbon-based hydrogen source be of any benefit compared to conventional fossil fuels? Second, will a system based on centralized generation and distribution be viable? Finally, methodsmore » of on-board storage, whether they are liquefaction, adsorption, or intercalation, are far from optimized. The scope of this program is limited to hydrogen generation, specifically generation using solarinitiated water electrolysis. Though concept of making hydrogen using water and sunlight may sound somewhat far-fetched, in reality the concept is very real. Since the discovery of solar-generated hydrogen, termed photoelectrochemical hydrogen, nearly 30 years ago by Fujishima and Honda, significant advances in both fundamental understanding and technological capability have been made. Using solar radiation to generate hydrogen in a fashion akin to using solar to generate electricity offers many advantages. First, hydrogen can be generated at the point of use, reducing the importance of transportation. Second, using water as the hydrogen source eliminates greenhouse gas evolution and the consequences that come with it. Finally, because the process uses very little electricity (pumps and compressors predominantly), the quantity of chemical fuel produced far exceeds the amount of electricity consumed. Consequently, there is some level of truth to the notion that photoelectrochemically-derived hydrogen offers the potential to nearly eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation landscape. This report focuses primarily on the technical issues inherent to developing an economically viable photoelectrochemical hydrogen system. This involves research intended to address technology gaps as well as research to address commercial feasibility. Though a firm cost target is not identified explicitly, much of the economics are presented in terms of “dollars per gallon of gasoline equivalent” ($/gge). Obviously this is a moving target, but it is important to understand cost in terms of current gasoline pricing, since the intended target is gasoline replacement. However, this does put the cost contribution into a perspective that at least allows for a reasonable assessment of technological viability. It also allows for the identification of need areas beyond the obvious technology gaps.« less
  • The discovery and understanding of new, improved materials to advance fuel cell technology are the objectives of the Cornell Fuel Cell Institute (CFCI) research program. CFCI was initially formed in 2003. This report highlights the accomplishments from 2006-2009. Many of the grand challenges in energy science and technology are based on the need for materials with greatly improved or even revolutionary properties and performance. This is certainly true for fuel cells, which have the promise of being highly efficient in the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. Fuel cells offer the possibility of efficiencies perhaps up to 90 %more » based on the free energy of reaction. Here, the challenges are clearly in the materials used to construct the heart of the fuel cell: the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The MEA consists of two electrodes separated by an ionically conducting membrane. Each electrode is a nanocomposite of electronically conducting catalyst support, ionic conductor and open porosity, that together form three percolation networks that must connect to each catalyst nanoparticle; otherwise the catalyst is inactive. This report highlights the findings of the three years completing the CFCI funding, and incudes developments in materials for electrocatalyts, catalyst supports, materials with structured and functional porosity for electrodes, and novel electrolyte membranes. The report also discusses developments at understanding electrocatalytic mechanisms, especially on novel catalyst surfaces, plus in situ characterization techniques and contributions from theory. Much of the research of the CFCI continues within the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc2), a DOE funded, Office of Science Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC).« less