University Research | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

UH Graduate Mathematics Student Earns DOE Research Award

Kyle Williams, a University of Houston student working on his doctoral degree in applied mathematics has been selected for a graduate student research program offered by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Caltech, Berkeley Lab Teams Combines Theory, X-ray Experiments to Explain What’s at Work in Copper Catalyst

Researchers report the mechanics behind an early key step in artificially activating CO2 so that it can rearrange itself to become the liquid fuel ethanol.

Decomposing Leaves are a Surprising Source of Greenhouse Gases

Michigan State University scientists have pinpointed a new source of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that’s more potent than carbon dioxide, which could help refine nitrous oxide emission predictions as well as guide future agriculture and soil management practices.

Newly Identified Gene Helps Time Spring Flowering in Vital Grass Crops

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have identified a gene that keeps grasses from entering their flowering cycle until the season is right, a discovery that may help plant breeders and engineers get more from food and energy crops.

Electrocatalyst Nanostructures Key to Improved Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers

Purdue University scientists’ simulations have unraveled the mystery of a new electrocatalyst that may solve a significant problem associated with fuel cells and electrolyzers.

D.I.Y. Crystal-Makers Get Refurbished Online Cookbook

In response to popular demand, materials scientists at Duke University have resurrected an online cookbook of crystalline structures that started when the World Wide Web was Netscape Navigator and HTML 1.0.

Physicists Create 'Molecular Black Hole' Using Ultra-Intense X-ray Pulses

Kansas State University physicists capture how an iodine atom irradiated by an extremely intense X-ray beam loses dozens of electrons and, for a short time, turns into a "molecular black hole" that pulls in charge from its surroundings.

A New Spin on Electronics

A University of Utah-led team has discovered that a class of “miracle materials” called organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites could be a game changer for future spintronic devices.

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Exploring Elusive High-Energy Particles in an Unusual Metal

Researchers at MIT have observed a novel phenomenon in sheets of tantalum arsenide that mimics the behavior of theorized (but never observed) particles called Weyl fermions.

Hotspots Show that Vegetation Alters Climate by Up to 30%

Columbia Engineers find strong feedbacks between the atmosphere and vegetation that explain up to 30% of precipitation and surface radiation variance; study reveals large potential for improving seasonal weather predictions.

Standford Scientists Discover High Pressure is the Key to Lighter and Stronger Metal Alloys

Subjecting complex metal mixtures called high-entropy alloys to extremely high pressures could lead to finer control over the arrangement of their atoms, which in turn can result in more desirable properties.

Two Simple Building Blocks Produce Complex 3-D Material

Northwestern University scientists have built a structurally complex material from two simple building blocks that is the lowest-density metal-organic framework ever made.