A team at Brookhaven National Laboratory has identified a common industrial catalyst that can efficiently convert methane to methanol with or without water. The findings suggest strategies for improving the water-free conversion, achieving 30% selectivity in the absence of water, and 80% selectivity with water.
Brookhaven Lab particle physicist Kétévi Assamagan has been elected as an APS Fellow for his significant contributions to the Standard Model Higgs boson research. He is also recognized for leading physics outreach programs, including founding the African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications.
Researchers at RHIC's PHENIX Collaboration report new data on direct photons, revealing the potential to study gluons' transverse motion within protons. The measurements are 50 times more precise than previous data and validate the approach for future studies of proton spin and structure.
Scientists discovered structural and surface chemistry defects in superconducting niobium qubits that may cause loss. The study pinpointed these defects using state-of-the-art characterization capabilities at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials and National Synchrotron Light Source II.
A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory has identified a key component of the assembly line responsible for oil droplet formation. The study suggests new ways to engineer plant tissues for increased oil accumulation, which could lead to sustainable oils for biofuels and other commodity products.
Researchers have discovered a three-part catalyst configuration that transforms CO2 into ethanol through a well-tuned interplay between cesium, copper, and zinc oxide sites. The study provides a fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanism and will drive further research towards developing practical industrial catalysts.
Researchers developed a method to scale up nanocages to trap noble gases like krypton and xenon. The team used commercial materials and found the optimal temperature range for trapping gas atoms inside the cages.
Scientists detected electronic and optical interlayer resonances in bilayer graphene by twisting one layer 30 degrees, resulting in increased interlayer spacing that influences electron motion. This understanding could inform the design of future quantum technologies for more powerful computing and secure communication.
Researchers have discovered an enzyme that enables the accumulation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid in plant cell walls, a potential game-changer for sustainable industrial chemical production. By controlling the expression of this enzyme, plants can be engineered to produce more of this valuable chemical building block.
Researchers demonstrate a long-predicted process of generating matter from pure energy through collisions of high-energy photons. The STAR detector measures angular distribution patterns, showing evidence of polarization-dependent deflection in a vacuum, a key finding with implications for quantum mechanics.
Researchers created designed and biologically active 2-D and 3-D protein arrays using DNA-based assembly, maintaining structural stability and biological activity. The method has potential applications in structural biology, biomaterials, nanomedicine, and biocatalysis.
Groundbreaking algorithms developed for MicroBooNE detector filter out cosmic ray tracks, pinning down elusive neutrino interactions. This work demonstrates crucial ability to eliminate cosmic ray backgrounds, critical for future U.S. neutrino research program.
Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed an atomic-level model of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein bound to a human lung-cell-junction protein. The findings reveal how the virus causes extensive lung damage by hijacking cell-junction proteins, leading to a cytokine storm and promoting viral spread.
Researchers suppressed magnetic order across a material for several picoseconds using ultrafast laser pulses. The study reveals how magnetic interactions are suppressed not just locally but everywhere, with the goal of understanding magnetism control for applications like data storage and superconductivity.
Researchers discovered that a valence gradient can serve as a new approach for stabilizing high-nickel-content cathode materials against degradation and safety issues. By isolating the valence gradient from concentration gradient, they confirmed its critical role in battery performance.
Researchers characterized how electronic states depend on local chemical composition in a compound containing iron, tellurium, and selenium. They discovered that low iron concentration leads to superconductivity and distinct magnetic correlations, while high tellurium concentration creates a topological surface state.
Scientists identified depletion of liquid electrolyte as primary cause of failure in high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries. The study used high-energy x-rays to map performance variations and calculate cathode material state, enabling the discovery of dominant failure mechanism.
A new mathematical model predicts that temporary collective immunity emerged during early COVID-19 stages but was destroyed as people changed their social behaviors. This led to future waves of infection despite initial attempts to achieve herd immunity through vaccination.
Researchers trained an AI agent to conduct scientific experiments using a virtual beamline simulation, allowing for efficient and remote experimentation. The team implemented reinforcement learning to train the AI, which enabled it to learn from experience and master the experiment.
A new study provides definitive evidence that shattering drizzle droplets drive explosive 'ice multiplication' events in Arctic clouds. The findings have significant implications for weather forecasts, climate modeling, water supplies, energy, and transportation infrastructure. The research used six years of data from a millimeter-wave...
Researchers studying an iron-based high-temperature superconductor discovered that an energy band gap opens at the intersection of two allowed energy bands on the material's surface. This unexpected electronic behavior could lead to breakthroughs in quantum computing and dissipationless electronic devices.
Researchers analyze RHIC collision data to track transitions between nuclear phases, aiming to understand the universe's evolution and neutron star cores. The analysis reveals tantalizing signs of turbulence, hinting at a possible 'critical point' where quarks and gluons transform from one phase to another.
Scientists have discovered that covering metal catalyst surfaces with thin two-dimensional oxide materials can significantly enhance chemical reactions. The new method uses partially covered palladium surfaces with silica films to boost carbon dioxide production by 20%. This approach allows for more efficient and effective catalytic co...
Researchers found that modifying the surface of electrodes with bismuth can significantly increase electrical current, driving the reactions that split water into oxygen and hydrogen. This process could lead to a clean and sustainable energy future.
Researchers uncovered dynamic details of a platinum-based catalyst's active site, resolving earlier conflicting reports. They found that only certain platinum atoms play an important role in the chemical conversion, which may lead to designing more efficient and cost-effective catalysts.
Researchers uncover the reason behind reduced oil production in genetically modified plants producing specialty fatty acids. They found that feeding these plants additional endogenous fatty acids triggers a shutdown mechanism, slowing down oil synthesis.
Scientists have identified lithium hydride and a new form of lithium fluoride in the interphase of lithium metal anodes using ultrabright x-rays. This finding is a major step towards developing smaller, lighter, and less expensive batteries for electric vehicles.
Researchers found that tiny aerosol particles form out of next to nothingness over the open ocean when sunlight reacts with molecules of trace gases. These newly formed particles then grow to attract water vapor, forming clouds that reflect or absorb sunlight, affecting Earth's temperature.
Scientists have successfully controlled spin dynamics in magnetic materials using a technique called resonant inelastic x-ray scattering. By studying thin films of iron as thin as one nanometer, researchers discovered that the thickness of magnetic materials can act as a 'knob' for fine-tuning spin dynamics.
Scientists have created a new platform to rapidly create and characterize blends of materials, significantly accelerating material development. The platform uses electrospray deposition and x-ray scattering to explore complex compositional dependencies in a matter of days, reducing the time from months or weeks.
Researchers at NSLS-II are building a quantum-enhanced x-ray microscope to image biomolecules like never before, enabling superior resolution without sacrificing dose. The facility's ultrabright light will be harnessed through ghost imaging techniques to preserve sensitive samples.
Scientists have developed a platform using DNA self-assembly to create 3D nanoscale architectures that can conduct electricity without resistance. These structures can be used in signal amplifiers, ultrasensitive magnetic field sensors, and other quantum devices.
Scientists developed a new approach to decipher the atomic-level structure of materials using data from ground-up powder samples. This 'genomic' method solves complex structures by building and evaluating all plausible arrangements of atoms, revealing details of promising sodium-ion battery material NVPF.
Scientists have published a new calculation to test for tiny differences between matter and antimatter, building on the 1963 Nobel Prize-winning experiment that observed a slight difference in kaon decays. The new calculation provides more accurate predictions for kaon decays and offers a way to search for effects beyond the Standard M...
Researchers discovered a topological insulator that exhibits two electronic states with opposite spin, but only one responds to magnetism. The findings challenge our understanding of exotic physics and raise questions about the properties of this material.
The White House, NSF, and DOE announced over $1 billion in awards for the establishment of 12 new AI and QIS research institutes. These institutes will spur cutting-edge innovation, support regional economic growth, and advance American leadership in emerging technologies.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed nanocages to trap noble gases, including xenon and krypton, which can improve nuclear reactor efficiency and reduce radioactive waste. The team plans to scale up the production of these materials with partner Forge Nano.
Researchers found that the transport of electronic charge in strontium ruthenate breaks rotational symmetry, exhibiting 'electronic nematicity' similar to liquid crystals. This phenomenon may explain the material's unconventional superconductivity and could lead to the design of efficient superconductors.
Researchers have produced a new theoretical calculation that refines one piece of the muon anomaly puzzle, sharpening the understanding of how subatomic particles interact. The study uses lattice QCD to analyze hadronic contributions and controls for errors, providing new insights into particle physics.
Scientists have discovered three essential roles for water in the catalytic conversion of methane to methanol, which facilitates high selectivity while blocking unwanted side reactions. The findings could speed the development of catalysts that make use of methane escaping from gas and oil wells.
A team of scientists has developed a new 2D catalyst that can improve the efficiency of water purification using hydrogen peroxide. The catalyst, composed of two co-catalysts on one nanosheet, was designed to increase the efficiency of the process without additional chemical treatment.
Scientists developed a new technique to image proteins in 3D with nanoscale resolution using lanthanide-binding tags, enabling researchers to identify precise protein locations within individual cells. This breakthrough provides new insights into disease mechanisms and potential treatments.
Researchers at Brookhaven Lab have direct spectroscopic evidence for a pair density wave coexisting with superconductivity, revealing modulating energy gap structures and pairing of electrons. This finding may help understand the complex phase diagram of high-Tc cuprate superconductors.
Scientists have discovered a material that expands dramatically at low temperatures, mimicking water's expansion when frozen. The researchers used x-rays and theoretical descriptions to explain the phenomenon, which is attributed to the Kondo effect and could lead to new alloys for aviation and other applications.
Researchers created a platinum-titania catalyst that selectively breaks carbon-oxygen bonds in plant derivatives, producing biofuels. The strategy could be applied to design stable and active catalysts for industrial chemical production from biomass-derived molecules.
Scientists tracked lithium ion movement in LTO nanoparticles, discovering 'intermediates' that enable rapid transport. Real-time tracking revealed distorted atomic arrangements providing an 'express lane' for lithium ions.
Researchers develop peptoid-coated DNA origami that maintains structural integrity and functionality in different physiological environments, enabling potential use in delivering anti-cancer drugs and proteins. The method involves designing peptoids to stabilize DNA origami, with the brush-type architecture achieving optimal protection.
Researchers at RHIC have made precision measurements of hypertriton and antihypertriton binding energy and mass, shedding light on symmetry violations in neutron stars. The results could have significant implications for understanding astrophysical phenomena involving strange quarks.
Researchers used X-ray free-electron lasers to study the structural changes in polycrystalline gold thin films during laser-induced melting. The findings suggest that melting occurs preferentially at grain boundaries, resulting in a non-uniform process.
A new study reveals that controlling structural defects in cathode materials can enhance battery performance by allowing lithium ions and electrons to move in three dimensions across layers. High-precision powder diffraction analyses achieved unprecedented accuracy in measuring defect concentrations.