Science Highlights | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

On the left: Fluorescent microscope image shows artificial bioreactors composed of sugar-based dextran polymer solution (blue) encapsulated within a shell of lipid vesicles (red). On the right: schematic illustration of what the vesicles look like at the aqueous/aqueous interface. Blue and yellow shading indicate the interior and exterior solutions.

New Artificial Cells Mimic Nature’s Tiny Reactors

A new approach creates microscale bioreactors for studying complex reactions for energy production and storage.

The benchmark catalyst Fe(CO)5 is irradiated with ultraviolet light, causing it to lose one of its five carbon monoxide groups.

Scientists Track Ultrafast Formation of Catalyst with X-ray Laser

First-of-its-kind measurements provide insights on reactions that could one day turn sunlight and water into fuels.

A Super Uranyl-binding Protein with high affinity and selectivity could be used to mine uranium from seawater in the future.

Skimming Uranium from the Sea

Using computational methods, scientists tailor and adapt proteins to mine uranium from seawater.

The matrix-free ionization platform consists of an array of silicon nanoposts.

One in a Million: Analyzing Metabolites in a Single Cell

Commercialized nanopost array platform reveals metabolic changes in individual cells due to environmental stress.

A novel catalyst transforms carbon dioxide and hydrogen into formic acid (HCOOH) via a two-step (yellow arrows) reaction.

Capturing and Converting CO₂ in a Single Step

Researchers computationally design a cheap, efficient catalyst that captures carbon dioxide and creates a chemical building block.

Understanding the conditions and pathways that position populations of isolated ions and shared proton species as they react in water allows scientists to better understand the chemistry of concentrated hydrogen chloride solutions, which has implications in chemical processes ranging from refining oil to building longer-lasting batteries

Keeping the Ions Close: A New Activity

Study changes perception on how acids behave in water.

Scientists reported the first direct detection of a hydroperoxyalkyl radical—a class of reactive molecules denoted “QOOH”—that are key intermediates in combustion and atmospheric chemistry.

Combustion’s Mysterious “QOOH” Radicals Exposed

Direct measurement of an elusive but critical combustion molecule leads to more accurate models of ignition chemistry.

Specially designed, extremely small metal structures can trap light.

Light Speed Ahead!

Surface plasmons move at nearly the speed of light and travel farther than expected, possibly leading to faster electronic circuits.

When gaseous carbon dioxide (center) is dissolved in water, its water-fearing or hydrophobic nature creates a cylindrical cavity in the liquid, setting the stage for the proton transfer reactions that produce carbonic acid

The Importance of Hydration

Spectroscopy combined with theory and computation determines the interaction between carbon dioxide and water.

Snapshots of a helium bubble just before bursting when grown at slow versus fast rates.

Double, Double Toil and Trouble: Tungsten Burns and Helium Bubbles

New models reveal the impact of competing processes on helium bubble formation in plasma-exposed tungsten.

A proton (marked in yellow) is initially attached to a water molecule above the layer of carbon (grey) in graphene.

The World’s Thinnest Proton Channel

Atomic-scale defects in graphene are shown to selectively allow protons to pass through a barrier that is just one carbon atom thick.

Fan-cooled heat sink on a microprocessor.

Hundred-Fold Improvement in Temperature Mapping Reveals the Stresses Inside Tiny Transistors

New nanoscale thermal imaging technique shows heat building up inside microprocessors, providing new information to help solve heat-related performance issues.