News from the NNI Community - Research Advances Funded by Agencies Participating in the NNI

This article profiles Liam Collins, a scientist at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, a user facility at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Collins supports the center’s user program by advancing microscopy techniques that push the limits of observation and enable researchers to study materials and their properties on a nanometer length scale and gain insights that lead to new frontiers in energy, biology, and medicine.

Researchers at the University of Chicago and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new method to measure how photocurrents flow in a two-dimensional material— a substance with a thickness of a few nanometers or less. This ultra-sensitive method will help researchers better understand the material in the hopes of using it to create flexible electronics and solar cells.

Researchers at the University of Chicago and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new method to measure how photocurrents flow in a two-dimensional material— a substance with a thickness of a few nanometers or less. This ultra-sensitive method will help researchers better understand the material in the hopes of using it to create flexible electronics and solar cells.

Chemists at the University of California, Irvine have discovered nanoscale fragments of fungal cells in the atmosphere. The pieces are extremely small, measuring about 30 nanometers in diameter, and are more abundant than previously thought. These bits of fungus are easier to inhale deep into the lungs than intact cells, which means they may contribute to fungus-related allergic reactions and asthma among susceptible people.

Chemists at the University of California, Irvine have discovered nanoscale fragments of fungal cells in the atmosphere. The pieces are extremely small, measuring about 30 nanometers in diameter, and are more abundant than previously thought. These bits of fungus are easier to inhale deep into the lungs than intact cells, which means they may contribute to fungus-related allergic reactions and asthma among susceptible people.

Researchers at Penn State have developed a thin, barely visible nanofilm made of light-interactive nanomaterials that can absorb and deflect solar infrared energy, or heat. The researchers are now testing these window-glazing materials to produce dynamic windows that adapt to climate conditions in real-time while reducing total building energy consumption. Also, these windows would maintain clarity and transparency without the visual tradeoffs of tinted or screened windows, increasing the comfort of a building occupant.

Researchers at Penn State have developed a thin, barely visible nanofilm made of light-interactive nanomaterials that can absorb and deflect solar infrared energy, or heat. The researchers are now testing these window-glazing materials to produce dynamic windows that adapt to climate conditions in real-time while reducing total building energy consumption. Also, these windows would maintain clarity and transparency without the visual tradeoffs of tinted or screened windows, increasing the comfort of a building occupant.

Scientists at the College of William & Mary’s Department of Applied Science have discovered that the brown recluse spider’s silk, which is stronger than steel, is made up entirely of nanofibrils— strands that are 3,000 times thinner in diameter than a human hair—that are laid in parallel, not twisted like strands of a rope. The scientists have also discovered that the brown recluse spider adds to the strength of the silk by spinning little loops into each strand.

Scientists at the College of William & Mary’s Department of Applied Science have discovered that the brown recluse spider’s silk, which is stronger than steel, is made up entirely of nanofibrils— strands that are 3,000 times thinner in diameter than a human hair—that are laid in parallel, not twisted like strands of a rope. The scientists have also discovered that the brown recluse spider adds to the strength of the silk by spinning little loops into each strand.

Smart windows come in many different configurations, but the most popular ones are called electrochromic devices, because they change color when a voltage is applied. Scientists at Purdue University assessed the mechanical properties at the nanoscale of the thin-film electrochromic material used in these electrochromic devices and discovered that this material can expand up to 30% in volume. This “mechanical breathing” can cause the material to wrinkle and push up against the other layers of the substrate, causing the electrochromic device to stop functioning.