Projects

Characterization of Biologically Reduced U Particles

Lead Institution

Montana State University

Principal Investigator

Brent Peyton

Project type

Exploratory Research

In collaboration with Dr. Jim Amonette (PNNL, we are working on reduction of Uranium(VI) under sulfate reducing conditions in the presence of iron minerals. U(VI) dissolved in a growth medium was…

Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopic Analysis of Gas Hydrate and Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Bernard McGrail

Project type

Exploratory Research

Before large scale commercial recovery of natural gas from hydrates can be attempted, important issues regarding reservoir stimulation techniques, safety, and cost must be addressed. Reservoir…

High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy of Spiropentane and Bicyclopentane

Lead Institution

Oregon State University

Principal Investigator

Joseph Nibler

Project type

Exploratory Research

The structures and physical properties of small organic strained-ring systems are of interest to both experimental and theoretical chemists. The object of the proposed research is to apply high…

Effects of surfaces on photogenerated electron diffusion in zinc oxide nanowires

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Yi Gu

Project type

Exploratory Research

In the context of cost-effectively raising photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as one of the most promising low-cost options. Among them, zinc…

Background signal studies with PTR-MS

Lead Institution

Washington State University

Principal Investigator

Halvor Westberg

Project type

Exploratory Research

In some of our ambient measurement studies with the PTR-MS, acetaldehyde and some of the other polar oxygenated organics have shown unexpected high concentrations. Since the PTR-MS can have mass…

Relating nanostructure to composite properties via 3D TEM imaging

Lead Institution

Oregon State University

Principal Investigator

John Simonsen

Project type

Exploratory Research

Our previous proposal (PNNL 27090a) was unsuccessful in imaging CNXLs in polymer matrices, but was successful in obtaining excellent images of CNXL aerogels. We therefore propose to utilize…

Overall warm syngas cleanup

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Liyu Li

Project type

Exploratory Research

Gasification of biomass to syngas followed by catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons or oxygenates provides a feasible strategy to meet the increasing demand for transportation fuels. This syngas has…

Using high resolution TEM to aquire uranium speciation information of environmental relevance

Lead Institution

Montana State University

Principal Investigator

Brent Peyton

Project type

Exploratory Research

The proposed research will utilize high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to acquire uranium (U) speciation data. Previous work has demonstrated the ability of an environmental…

TEM and MDS study of NPSS

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Xin Sun

Project type

Exploratory Research

Nano-Precipitates Strengthening Steels (NPSS) are currently under consideration for use as various vehicle components in the automotive industry for their excellent combination of mechanical…

Formulating the CD-MUSIC surface complexation model from first principles calculations for phosphate adsorption on goethite.

Lead Institution

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Principal Investigator

Christopher Tadanier

Project type

Exploratory Research

Density functional theory molecular orbital calculations will be used to compute charge density distributions for various hypothetical adsorbed phosphate structures on the surface of the mineral…

Analyses of electron density distributions in earth materials with implications for reactivity.

Lead Institution

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Principal Investigator

Gerald Gibbs

Project type

Exploratory Research

Density functional theory molecular orbital calculations will be used to compute the electron density distributions and their critical point properties of a variety of important silicate minerals and…

Computational Simulations of Antimicrobial Polymeric Surfaces and Biological Membranes

Lead Institution

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Principal Investigator

Thereza Soares Da Silva

Project type

Exploratory Research

Medical devices can give rise to treatment-resistant infections upon colonization by pathogenous bacteria. A detailed understanding of the interactions between biological cells and the device surface…

Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Diseases - Year VI

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Garry Buchko

Project type

Exploratory Research

The Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to apply genome-scale approaches in solving…

Understanding DNA surface interactions for systems design and engineering

Lead Institution

University of Texas Medical Branch

Principal Investigator

Bernard Pettitt

Project type

Exploratory Research

DNA replication, DNA modification, and single organism engineering are being used in many fields of relevance to the DOE mission. Extensive knowledge of the fundamental reactions involved in these…

Integrating genome-scale metabolic modeling of a microbial community into simulations of subsurface flow and biogeochemical reactive transport.

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Steven Yabusaki

Project type

Exploratory Research

The goal of this project is to develop a mechanistic, quantitative, and predictive simulation capability for coupled flow and biogeochemical reactive transport that accounts for • genome-specific…

In-situ TEM study of electrochemically-driven phase transformations in battery storage compounds

Lead Institution

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Principal Investigator

Yet-Ming Chiang

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Many battery electrode materials, such as lithium transition metal olivines ( LiMPO4, M=Fe, Mn, etc) and oxide spinels (LiMn2O4, LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, Li4Ti5O12, etc), exhibit phase transformation…

Computational Studies of Catalyzed Chemical Transformations of Biomass

Lead Institution

University of Alabama

Principal Investigator

David Dixon

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

There is a critical need to develop new, renewable sources of energy as well as feedstocks for the chemical industry. Biomass is a carbon neutral source of energy and can also address issues related…

Epigenetic engineering to increase expression of novel feedstocks and lignocellulolytic enzymes

Lead Institution

Oregon State University

Principal Investigator

Michael Freitag

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Responses to environmental stimuli, e.g. changes in nutritional status, require space- and time-dependent transcription of genes in the context of chromatin, the assembly of DNA and proteins that…

Investigating the mechanisms for negative priming of soil organic carbon by pyrogenic carbon using NanoSIMS and LA-AMS

Lead Institution

Cornell University

Principal Investigator

Johannes Lehmann

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Reduced turnover rate (often referred to as "negative priming") of soil organic carbon (SOC) by pyrogenic black carbon (pyC) has the potential to have dramatic long-term effects on soil…

Investigations of Metal-organic Frameworks Using High-field Solid State NMR

Lead Institution

University of California, Berkeley

Principal Investigator

Jeffrey Reimer

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging materials for the applications of CO2 capture from post-combustion flue gases. The knowledge of gas binding mechanisms and the in-depth understanding of…