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Projects

As a scientific user facility, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) provides expertise, instrumentation, and resources to 250 projects each year. 

Projects displayed below reflect information and abstracts that were published before April 30, 2024. To review current EMSL user projects, visit Science Central™.

  • Projects beginning at or after given date.
    Projects ending at or before given date.

Reaction mechanisms for silicate mineral dissolution

Lead Institution
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Principal Investigator
J Rimstidt
Project type
Exploratory Research
The rates of reaction between silicate minerals and glasses and aqueous solutions is of great scientific and technological interest. For example, these reaction rates determine how fast carbonic acid…

Identification of biogenic Fe(11) oxides resulting from microbial reduction.

Lead Institution
Indiana University - Bloomington
Principal Investigator
Flynn Picardal
Project type
Exploratory Research
The objectives of this project are to: (i) examine the effect of iron oxide mineralogy on iron mineralization induced by microbial reduction of that oxide, (ii) determine the mechanism(s) by which…

Reactivity of bridging Oxygens on the Pyrophyllite 110 and 1-10 edge faces

Lead Institution
Brigham Young University
Principal Investigator
Barry Bickmore
Project type
Exploratory Research
The structure and eactivity of clay edge surfaces is a fundamental importance for environmental chemistry. Various models have been proposed, but experimental evidence to distinguish between these…

Surface Analysis of Phosphazene Polymers

Lead Institution
University of Idaho
Principal Investigator
Jean'ne Shreeve
Project type
Exploratory Research
Coatings of phosphazene polymers on metal and glass surfaces by spin coating and chemical vapor deposition. Surface analysis of these materials by TOF-SIMS and XPS to correlate the structure…

Automated Analysis of Field-Collected Aerosols

Lead Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Principal Investigator
James Cowin
Project type
Exploratory Research
We have developed a field portable instrument for automated collection of particles on a time-resolved basis. Essential to this project is having access to automated particle analysis. This…

Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry for Planetary Surface Instruments

Lead Institution
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Greg Cardell
Project type
Exploratory Research
We are developing a geochemistry instrument for deployment on the surface of Mars. Ion trap mass spectrometry may be an appropriate mass detection technique for this instrument. Michael Alexander…

Characterization of Onion Floral Nectaries

Lead Institution
Washington State University Tri-Cities
Principal Investigator
Erin Silva
Project type
Exploratory Research
Onion seed production has been an unpredictable venture over the last several decades due to precarious pollination of the crop by the honey bee. It has been noted since the advent of hybrid onion…

Preparation of Ultra Low Dielectric Constant Silica Films

Lead Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Suresh Baskaran
Project type
Exploratory Research
Objective is to develop ultra low dielectric constant silica films for microelectronic device applications. Optimization of dielectric, chemical and mechanical properties will involve nanostructure…

SEM/EDS of Thin FIlms

Lead Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Charles Windisch
Project type
Exploratory Research
This work supports the DOE-BES funded program on Thin FIlms managed by Greg Exarhos at PNNL. The objective of the work is to develop thin films with tailored optical and electrical properties. …

Biogenic Iron Materials

Lead Institution
J. Craig Venter Institute
Principal Investigator
Yuri Gorby
Project type
Exploratory Research
We will image iron minerals produced by the reduction of solid phase ferric oxides. The research will require the use of field emission SEM and TEM.

Oxide Fracture by Indentation to Measure Repassivation Kinetics

Lead Institution
Washington State University
Principal Investigator
David Bahr
Project type
Exploratory Research
Many corrosion resistant materials, such as titanium and stainless steels, owe much of their corrosion resistance to the presence of a very thin passive film which isolates the metal from the…

Computational and Experimental Nanoparticle Dosimetry for nanomaterial Safety

Lead Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Justin Teeguarden
Project type
Exploratory Research
Development and deployment of nanomaterial based technologies improving energy and environmental security are high priority research activities for the Department of Energy. Nanomaterial development…

Electronic Properties of the Metal and Thin Film Oxide Insulator Junction

Lead Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Kenneth Beck
Project type
Exploratory Research
Modern solid state devices are based on conjoining prefentially doped seimconductor materials. One species may be doped as an electron donor ("N"), while a complementary species in an…

Innovative Aerosol Collector (Alexander's SBIR, PNNL Scope #48595)

Lead Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Rahul Zaveri
Project type
Exploratory Research
Develop an innovative aerosol collector for on-line analysis of individual particulate species using Proton Transfer Reaction Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ITMS).

Trace signatures in particles

Lead Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
Principal Investigator
John Cliff
Project type
Exploratory Research
We wish to collect a few ToF-SIMS spectra of specimens important for forensic purposes in order to include the data in a proposal (if succesfull).