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![Brillouin Light Scattering has revealed the presence of an interfacial layer that controls mechanical reinforcement. By fitting BLS data (red) with a continuum model (blue) the shear modulus of the interface was determined. Inset: The BE SPM work has enab Brillouin Light Scattering has revealed the presence of an interfacial layer that controls mechanical reinforcement. By fitting BLS data (red) with a continuum model (blue) the shear modulus of the interface was determined. Inset: The BE SPM work has enab](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Glassy%20Polymer%20Nanocomposites%20image%20for%20HL_0.png?itok=ZeKLVGfW)
Scientists have unraveled details of the mechanism of mechanical reinforcement in glassy polymer nanocomposites.1 Measurements in the interfacial layer ~2–4 nm around nanoparticles revealed that Young’s modulus, which defines the relationship between
![Default image of ORNL entry sign](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-09/default-thumbnail.jpg?h=553c93cc&itok=N_Kd1DVR)
Researchers have demonstrated a process to prepare morphologically tailored carbon materials with good electrochemical capacity and stability for sodium-ion battery anodes.
![Charge density slices in the ab-plane of beryl overlain on the beryl structure. A macroscopic green beryl crystal (emerald) is also shown. Charge density slices in the ab-plane of beryl overlain on the beryl structure. A macroscopic green beryl crystal (emerald) is also shown.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Quantum%20Tunneling%20image.png?itok=S_D0fX8g)
Scientific Achievement
Found that, when confined in the ~ 5 Å wide channels in a beryl crystal, the water molecule undergoes quantum tunneling between six symmetrically equivalent positions around the c-axis in the structure.
Significance and Impact
Fir
![Default image of ORNL entry sign](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-09/default-thumbnail.jpg?h=553c93cc&itok=N_Kd1DVR)
Misfit heterojunctions formed by van der Waals (vdW) epitaxial growth of one crystalline metal chalcogenide monolayer on another was demonstrated for the first time to form p-n junctions that exhibit a photovoltaic response.
![Comparison of the VDOS for water and OH groups extracted from INS measurements at incident energies of 250 and 600 meV (circles) with the VDOS extracted from AIMD simulations of the (110) surface of SnO2 (cassiterite). BH = wagging mode of bridging hydro Comparison of the VDOS for water and OH groups extracted from INS measurements at incident energies of 250 and 600 meV (circles) with the VDOS extracted from AIMD simulations of the (110) surface of SnO2 (cassiterite). BH = wagging mode of bridging hydro](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Integrated%20Molec%20Sim%20image%20resized.png?itok=Qm6j7C2-)
Scientific Achievement
Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) studies of water sorbed on tin oxide (SnO2, cassiterite) nanoparticle surfaces at low humidity and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations were independently analyzed to extract the vibrati
![Multimodal analysis of a 500 nm thick phase separated thin-film of polystyrene/ poly-2-vinylpyridine on a silica substrate Multimodal analysis of a 500 nm thick phase separated thin-film of polystyrene/ poly-2-vinylpyridine on a silica substrate](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Nanoscale%20Molec%20Cart%20HL.png?itok=lN_PAlZF)
The advancement of a hybrid atomic force microscopy/mass spectrometry imaging platform demonstrating, for the first time, co-registered topographical, band excitation nanomechanical, and mass spectral imaging of a surface using a single instrument is repor
![This research was featured on the back cover of the journal for the September 1, 2015, issue (issue 36) This research was featured on the back cover of the journal for the September 1, 2015, issue (issue 36)](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Agnew%20Chemi%20Custelcean%20cover_1.png?itok=6LObkMDI)
An effective approach to sulfate separation from aqueous solutions was developed based on crystallization of sulfate-water clusters with a simple ligand self-assembled in situ from water-soluble subcomponents.
![This research was featured on the back cover of the journal on April 7, 2015, (volume 54, issue 15) This research was featured on the back cover of the journal on April 7, 2015, (volume 54, issue 15)](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Angew%20Chemie%20Cover%20resized_0.png?itok=rMyLuknw)
A hypercrosslinked polymer was synthesized by a Friedel-Crafts alkylation of a phenolic resin with a robust mesoporous framework to avoid framework shrinkage and maximize retention of organic functional groups.
ORNL researchers successfully developed a so