Projects

In situ Observation of Nanoscale Dynamic Interfacial Processes and Structural Transformations in Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for Gas Storage and Sensing Technologies

Lead Institution

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator

Nathan Gianneschi

Project type

Exploratory Research

High-capacity gas storage and separation materials have tremendous potential for applications in alternative energy generation (hydrogen fuel cells) and in environmental and human health protection …

The effect of trace element content on the rate of biotic and abiotic pyrite oxidation

Lead Institution

University of California, Riverside

Principal Investigator

Timothy Lyons

Project type

Exploratory Research

The oxidation of pyrite is a common source of toxic trace elements and acid generation in many contaminated systems. A key component in understanding the potential threat to ecosystems and possible…

Controlling topotactic phase transitions in oxide thin films

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Yingge Du

Project type

Exploratory Research

The objective of this research is to understand, predict, and control the phase transitions occurring in structurally ordered thin films to enable the rational design, synthesis, and utilization of…

Towards Complete Characterization of Gas-Phase Organic Compounds Emitted from Biomass Burning

Lead Institution

University of California, Riverside

Principal Investigator

Kelley Barsanti

Project type

Exploratory Research

Biomass burning emits teragrams (1012 g) of gaseous organic compounds to the atmosphere. In-plume chemistry leads to the formation of secondary pollutants and short-lived climate forcers, including…

Water condensation in unsaturated mineral-organic assemblages

Lead Institution

Umea University

Principal Investigator

Jean-Francois Boily

Project type

Exploratory Research

This objective of this work is to predict condensation of atmospheric water vapor in the vadose zone of organic-bearing soils. It will primarily develop knowledge on the formation of condensed forms…

Infrared Nanoscopic Imaging of Structural and Globular Proteins

Lead Institution

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Principal Investigator

Joanna Atkin

Project type

Exploratory Research

This work uses infrared near-field optical spectroscopy to investigate the secondary structure of fiber-forming and globular proteins with nanoscale spatial resolution. These protein classes are…

Life in the deep terrestrial subsurface: microbial metabolism before and after shale gas extraction

Lead Institution

Colorado State University

Principal Investigator

Michael Wilkins

Project type

Exploratory Research

Black shales underlay much of the continental U.S., and are a critical component of current and future energy resources. To extract hydrocarbons from these formations, shales are hydraulically…

Understanding enzymatic depolymerization of lignin

Lead Institution

Sandia National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Michael Kent

Project type

Exploratory Research

Producing fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass is a promising technology to meet the nation's goal of a secure and sustainable energy future. Valorization of lignin is a key…

Identifying the mechanism of bacterial extracellular electron transfer via conductive pili proteins

Lead Institution

Yale University

Principal Investigator

Nikhil Malvankar

Project type

Exploratory Research

Microbial metabolism plays an important role in the global cycling of carbon, nutrients, and metals. Recent discovery of microorganisms sharing energy using direct electrical connections might…

Speciation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides in the ALSEP solvent extraction system

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Tatiana Levitskaia

Project type

Exploratory Research

Nuclear energy is a clean, carbon neutral energy source that can mitigate the effects of climate change in the coming decades by replacing fossil fuel energy sources. Political and societal…

Molecular identification of non-proteinaceous biological particles towards nucleating ice

Lead Institution

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Principal Investigator

Ottmar Mohler

Project type

Exploratory Research

A small number of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles (INPs) can induce freezing of supercooled droplets in tropospheric clouds and conceivably influence precipitation and the planet’s climate…

Deciphering the Chemical Language of Organic-Mineral Interactions to Develop New Biodesign Strategies and Improve Climate Records

Lead Institution

University of Washington

Principal Investigator

Alexander Gagnon

Project type

Exploratory Research

The shape and pace of skeletal growth in shells and bones are controlled though a complex set of interactions between biologically produced organic compounds and the growing mineral. If we could…

Single Cell Lipid Turnover Analysis in Advanced Biofuel Synthesis (SCLTA)

Lead Institution

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Principal Investigator

Gregory Stephanopoulos

Project type

Exploratory Research

Sustainable supersonic jets and race cars have become a reality due to the microbial production of advanced biofuels and their ‘drop in’ compatibility with the existing transportation infrastructure…

Probing bacterial extracellular electron transfer proteins using infrared nanospectroscopy

Lead Institution

Yale University

Principal Investigator

Nikhil Malvankar

Project type

Exploratory Research

Microbial metabolism plays an important role in the global cycling of carbon, nutrients, and metals. Recent discovery of microorganisms sharing energy using direct electrical connections might…

Collaborative Access Team: the Pooled Resources for Electron Microscopy Informatics, Education and Research (PREMIER) Network

Lead Institution

University of Liverpool

Principal Investigator

Nigel Browning

Project type

Exploratory Research

The executive committee of the Pooled Resources for Electron Microscopy Informatics, Education and Research (PREMIER) network is proposing to continue the collaborative access team (CAT) to optimize…

3-D Active Site Distribution and Porosity in Microporous Materials

Lead Institution

Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

Principal Investigator

Simon Bare

Project type

Exploratory Research

The aim of this proposal is to build upon our initial success in the exploration of the 3-D location and distribution of the Al and Si atoms in highly relevant and active microporous catalysts, with…

Understanding Doping and Coating for Improvement of Electrochemical Performance in High Voltage Lithium Ion Cathode Materials

Lead Institution

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator

Ying Meng

Project type

Exploratory Research

Lithium ion batteries are the top candidates for on-board energy storage in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as well as fully electric vehicles due to their high energy and power density. One group…

Numerical Studies of the Lifecycle of Aerosols and Their Interactions with Clouds

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Jerome Fast

Project type

Exploratory Research

A major PNNL research effort, funded through DOE's Atmospheric System Research (ASR) Program, focuses on knowledge gaps in aerosol effects on climate, including: • Aerosol aging and its impact…

Investigation into MOF formation, post-synthetic modification (PSM) and post-synthetic exchange (PSE) via in situ liquid phase TEM analysis and high resolution TEM and STEM

Lead Institution

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator

Nathan Gianneschi

Project type

Exploratory Research

The kinetics and dynamics of metal–organic framework (MOF) formation and subsequent reactivity of the structural elements of MOFs have not been examined with nanoscale resolution. In situ TEM…

NMR studies of mass transport in Li-ion battery electrolyte solutions

Lead Institution

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Venkat Srinivasan

Project type

Exploratory Research

Electrification of vehicles is a critical component of DOE's efforts to reduce the dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions. Improvements and cost reductions in lithium-ion battery…