Mark Engelhard

Toward a Catalyst Digital Twin

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Nicholas Nelson

Project type

Contracted Time

The chemical potential of atomically dispersed transition metal atoms (adatoms) is well known to determine catalyst structure and mediate its structural evolution during reaction through the…

Nanoparticles-Based Biosensors for Detection of Environmental Biomarkers

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Yuehe Lin

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Human exposure to toxic chemical agents (i.e. pesticides, nerve agents) and infectious agents, such as pathogens, may have some immune response, which is composed of both cellular and acellular…

Detailed Characterization of Arsenic Adsorptive Media

Lead Institution

Battelle Columbus

Principal Investigator

Daniel Kremser

Project type

Exploratory Research

Adsorptive media are being evaluated and demonstrated by the U.S.EPA for their effectiveness for arsenic removal from small drinking water supplies. Data collected from an EPA-funded, multi-column…

Exploring the crick-tip mechanisms driving environmental degradation of alloys through controlled oxidation study of alloyed nanoparticles

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Chongmin Wang

Project type

Exploratory Research

Nanoparticles offer a unique way to observe the formation of small voids produced by vacancy injection during early stages of oxidation without sample cutting or polishing. Recent work at PNNL on…

Analysis of corrosion products, TAP project request #11-46

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Mark Engelhard

This goal of this TAP project is to identify the composition and source of unexpected metal corrosion products.

MgO-based double salt absorbent for warm temperature CO2 capture

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

David King

CO2 absorbent development also has gained attention for syngas clean up from fossil fuel power plants, and other industrial areas which produce a highly concentrated stream of CO2 as a byproduct,…

Combined Surface Characterization and Computation Study of a LaxZryOz Catalyst for the Catalytic Upgrading of Biomass-derived Compounds into Biofuels and Renewable Chemicals

Lead Institution

Archer Daniels Midland Company

Principal Investigator

Karl Albrecht

Catalytic upgrading of biomass is a challenging task in part because of the presence of water. Many conventional catalysts were developed for petroleum-based feedstocks. Often these catalysts are…

Biological Templates f or Synthesis of Ordered Ceramic Nanostructures

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Yongsoon Shin

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The synthesis of nano-architectured materials continues to be an evolving research area in nanoscience and nanotechnology because structural complexity enables often unexpected physical and chemical…

Accelerated Fuel-Cladding Interaction Study using Surrogate Materials

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Charles Henager

Project type

Exploratory Research

A Lab-level LDRD study on acceleration of fuel-cladding science is developing a miniature specimen test capability using HT-9 cladding material and ZrO2 with and without Ga doping as nuclear fuel…

Develop fundamental surface science characterization data for use in improving mixed alcohol synthesis catalysts via Computational Investigation of Ethanol Synthesis from Biomass-derived Syngas Using Rh-based Catalysts

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Shawn Kathmann

Project type

Exploratory Research

Novel catalyst design is essential and combined experimental and theoretical/computational catalysis can provide the essential mechanisms, influence of promoters, energetics, selectivity, and…

Catalyst and Material Development for Warm Cleanup of Biomass or Coal-Derived Syngas: Tar, Methane, Inorganic Contaminant Species, and CO2 Removal

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Robert Dagle

Project type

Exploratory Research

Syngas from biomass or coal has many applications in the area of catalytic fuels and chemicals synthesis, as well as hydrogen production for petroleum refineries, ammonia synthesis and for fuel cell…

Role of Microenvironments and Transition Zones in Subsurface Reactive Contaminant Transport

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

James McKinley

This is a renewal proposal for a previous collaborative effort between the PNNL Scientific Focus Area (SFA) and EMSL. The research proposed will resolve critical Hanford and basic subsurface science…

Towards a metabolic model of circadian clock control of metabolism in Neurospora crassa.

Lead Institution

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Principal Investigator

Jennifer Hurley

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Biofuel production using cellulases extracted from fungi has the potential to be a major resource to replace fossil fuels and regulating the synthesis of these and other enzymes is crucial for the…

Development of Alternative and Durable High Performance Cathode Supports for PEM Fuel Cells

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Yong Wang

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The poor durability of cathode supports and catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is a key technical barrier for stationary and transportation applications. Carbon support…

Functional Materials for Separation and Sensing

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Jay Grate

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

A large number of mission areas of the US. DOE demand functional materials that will meet the operational requirements of targeted applications. Indeed, innovative solutions to pressing national…

Quantitative Characterization of Surface Plasmon-Enhanced Electromagnetic Fields on Ag Nanostructures by Two-photon Photoemission Electron Microscopy

Lead Institution

University of Florida

Principal Investigator

Wei Wei

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Achieving a precise correlation between the localized optical properties and the local geometry of nanostructures will significantly advance the understanding of the nature and origin of nano…

Development of Catalysts for the Selective Conversion of Biomass Derived Products to Fuels

Lead Institution

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Principal Investigator

Ayman Karim

Project type

Exploratory Research

The large increase in energy demand by emerging economies and the environmental concerns over the use of fossil fuels has led to the focus on renewable energy sources such as biomass. Several…

Characterization of the bio-oil hydrotreating catalysts

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Mark Engelhard

PNNL is working on an EERE international collaboration project to exchange scientific and technical information on biomass feedstock production and conversion to biofuels with China and additionally…

Well-defined metal-oxide catalysts to understand fundamental chemical transformations of biomass-derived molecules

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Yong Wang

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Detailed, accurate and unambiguous structure/function relationships in metal-oxide catalyzed reactions are essential in the design of efficient catalysts for the conversion of biomass-derived…

Field emission SEM of anode supported YSZ fuel cells poisoned by Cr

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Steven Simner

Project type

Exploratory Research

Cr voltatilization from SOFC alloy interconnects causes rapid degradation of SOFC catrhodes. We have purposefully doped cathodes with different Cr-containing compounds (relevant to SOFCs) to…

Synthesis of Nanostructured Materials and Cluster-Assembled Materials

Lead Institution

Brown University

Principal Investigator

Lai-Sheng Wang

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

This proposal is a continuation of research under EMSL User Proposal #21790. This program is focused on exploratory syntheses of anionic metal clusters based on our gas-phase studies. A long…

Nano- and Atomic-Level Engineered Adsorbent, Catalyst, and Membrane Materials for Energy and Environmental Application

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Wei Liu

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

This proposal is to gain access to EMSL resources for processing and characterization of highly-engineered solid adsorbent, catalyst and membrane materials, and to develop correlation of their…

Correlation of Composition, Microstructure, and Strain at InGaN/GaN Interfaces with Optoelectronic Properties of III-Nitride-Based Light-Emitting Diodes

Lead Institution

Carnegie Mellon University

Principal Investigator

Lisa Porter

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

In the proposed research we seek to address critical materials issues in GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) for future solid-state lighting applications. Solid-state lighting has enormous…

The Role of Microenvironments and Physicochemical Subsurface Components on Field Scale Biogeochemistry and Contaminant Mobility

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

James McKinley

Project type

Exploratory Research

This is a renewal proposal for a previous collaborative effort between the PNNL Scientific Focus Area (SFA) and EMSL. The research proposed will resolve critical Hanford and basic subsurface science…

XPS Surface Analysis of Metal Coupons

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Jerome Birnbaum

A series of metal coupons will undergo heat treatments under varying conditons in a separate PNNL laboratory from EMSL. Following the treatment the coupons will be delivered to Mark Engelhard to…

Understanding the effect of etching medium in tuning the surface polarity of silica nanoparticles for tuning the loading and release of anticancer drugs

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Mark Engelhard

Silica nanoparticles have traditionally been used in drug delivery owing to their easy synthesis, nearly inert behaviour and ability to tune its surfaces for attaching targeting moieties. Recently…

Advanced electrode concepts for CdZnTe radiation detectors

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Carolyn Seifert

Project type

Exploratory Research

Radiation detector devices manufactured from CdZnTe can be used at ambient temperature. However, spectroscopy using CdZnTe detectors requires some sophisticated approaches to signal generation and/or…

Ceria Nanomonitors for Trace Oxygen Monitoring in Portable Energy Systems

Lead Institution

University of Texas at Dallas

Principal Investigator

Shalini Prasad

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The overarching research objective is development of a portable electrical sensor for rapid detection of trace gases with enhanced sensitivity and specificity. This pilot project seeks to use EMSL…

Microscopy Investigation on Nanostructured Electrodes

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Jiguang Zhang

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The objective of this proposal is to use EMSLs advanced electron microscopy facility to characterize the compositions and properties of the nanostructured electrode and nanostructured materials and…

Designing Nanomaterials for Fuel Cells Electrocatalysts

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Yuehe Lin

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Fuel cells are very important in addressing the issues with environment and global climate change. The main challenges for developing fuel cells are the prohibitive production cost and poor…

Investigation of Surface/Interface Structure and Chemistry of Tungsten-Based Oxides and Oxynitrides

Lead Institution

University of Texas at El Paso

Principal Investigator

Chintalapalle Ramana

Project type

Exploratory Research

The focus of the present project is on the tungsten (W) based oxide and oxynitride thin-films, which will have numerous applications in energy conversion and utilization technologies. The goal of the…

ASTM E-42 ILA# 863 Round Robin Participant "XPS depth profiling of stainless steel coupons"

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Mark Engelhard

This ASTM E42 round robin will explore the efficacy of using the “Bulk Ratio (BR)” method for XPS depth profiling stainless steel. The advantage of the BR method is that no calibration standards are…

Understanding the Interactions of the Plant Root and Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria with Unique Correlative Surface Imaging Tools

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Zihua Zhu

This research aims to achieve the following objectives: 1) integrate surface tools and apply them in submicron chemical mapping of the plant-microbe interface; 2) provide novel in vivo analysis of…

Integrated Automated Analyzer for Groundwater Monitoring - (Yuehe's SERDP work Scope 42177)

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Yuehe Lin

Project type

Exploratory Research

This project will develop a portable analytical system based on the on-line/on-chip coupling of a miniaturized, meso-scale sequential injection for fast and automated sample processing with a…

Kinetic Study of Heterogeneous Reaction of Soot with Reactive Oxidants

Lead Institution

Stanford University

Principal Investigator

Hai Wang

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Heterogeneous reactions occurring between aerosol particles and reactive gaseous species in the atmosphere have significant impacts on atmospheric composition and chemistry, global radiative forcing,…

Develop fundamental surface science characterization data for use in improving mixed alcohol
synthesis catalysts

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Shawn Kathmann

Project type

Exploratory Research

This project will develop basic information about the surface and bulk nature of various mixed alcohol synthesis catalysts in succsive states, oxide, reduced and used. This information will combine…

Mechanistic Understanding of Glass-Water Reaction

Lead Institution

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Eric Pierce

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The construction of valid rate models, such as the Transition State Theory Kinetic Rate Equation, to describe the dissolution of rock-forming minerals, the evolution of soils, and the corrosion…

Fundamental Studies of Water Splitting on Model TiO2, RuO2 and Mixed TiO2-RuO2 Catalysts

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Michael Henderson

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The objective of this project is to provide fundamental insights into the roles of co-catalysts in heterogeneous photocatalytic water splitting over model TiO2 and related semiconducting oxide…

MgO-based double salt absorbent for warm temperature CO2 capture

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

David King

CO2 absorbent development has gained great attention as a part of syngas clean up from fossil fuel gasification power plants, as well as other industrial applications which produce a highly…

Structure and Chemical Mapping of Soil Organic Matter on Mineral Surfaces

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Ravi Kukkadapu

Secreted and decomposing soil organic matter (SOM) containing carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and metals form the basis of many bio/organic matter-mineral interactions in soils. These compounds are …

Mechanisms of sulfur poisoning of NOx adsorber materials (Chuck's Cummins CRADA work Scope 43315)

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Charles Peden

Project type

Exploratory Research

The objective of this project is to aid the identification of a clear pathway to robust NOx after-treatment solutions for light-duty diesel engines. The project consistsof three phases. First, the…

Adhesion of Polymer Spheres to Modified Natural Fibers

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

James Holbery

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The technical motivation of the research is to advance current capabilities in natural fiber surface chemistry to develop modification processes that simultaneously displace water within the fiber…

Role of Microenvironments and Transition Zones in Subsurface Reactive Contaminant Transport

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

James McKinley

Project type

Exploratory Research

The PNNL Scientific Focus Area (SFA) will resolve critical Hanford and basic subsurface science issues through integrated, multi-disciplinary, science-theme focused research on the role of…

Optical and structural properties of doped ZnO nanocrystals

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Matthew Mccluskey

Project type

Exploratory Research

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a semiconductor that has attracted resurgent interest as an electronic material for energy applications. With a direct gap of 3.4 eV at room temperature, ZnO is a wide band gap…

Interactions between Functionalized Graphene and Electrochemically Active Materials in Advanced Energy Storage System

Lead Institution

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Principal Investigator

Jie Xiao

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The overall goal of this project is to understand the roles of functionalized graphene in energy storage systems spanning from Li-ion, Li-S to Li-air batteries. Specifically, the morphology of…

Synthesis with Atomic Scale Control for Highly Selective Catalysts

Lead Institution

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Principal Investigator

Ayman Karim

The proposed work is focused on catalyst design for the conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicals. Specifically, we propose a rational design methodology aimed at controlling the catalyst…

Determination of Interstitial and Interface components of chrome coatings

Lead Institution

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Mark Engelhard

Interfacial and interstitial components can be introduced into electrochemical deposited chrome plate, either intentionally or as a side effect of contamination. We are interested in determining the…

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and expert consulting on thermal stabilization of multi-component inorganic oxide matrials.

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Gary Spanner

Project type

Exploratory Research

Develop an understanding of the basic solid state chemistry of our oxide formulation and general design principles that can be used to increase thermal stability of such multi-component oxide…

Characterization of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes after exposure

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Olga Marina

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The purpose of this project is to gain understanding how the fuel electrode chemistry and microstructure is affected by exposure to coal gas contaminants. This is of importance to operating solid…

Investigation of the structure of Cobalt-Zinc bimetallics for steam reforming of alcohols

Lead Institution

University of New Mexico

Principal Investigator

Abhaya Datye

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Cobalt and Cobalt-Zinc Oxide catalyst systems have been shown to be active towards methanol reforming (CHâ‚ƒOH â†’ COâ‚‚+Hâ‚‚) as well as selective towards production of COâ‚‚ and Hâ‚‚ instead of CO…

Projects