The Advanced Photon Source
a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility

Some New and Unexpected Wrinkles in a Spin-Triplet Superconductor Under Pressure:  The quest for novel superconducting materials can lead to unexpected places, such as the compound uranium ditelluride, recently found to harbor a topological superconductivity that might facilitate quantum computers. Researchers using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source found that uranium ditelluridereveals some intriguing characteristics when subjected to pressure.

First Detailed Look at a Crucial Enzyme Advances Cancer Research:  In order to develop more effective drugs against a range of cancers, researchers have been investigating the molecular structure of many disease-linked enzymes in the body. An intriguing case in point is Taspase1. Researchers used the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source to reveal the structure of Taspase1 as never before.

Redirecting the Immune System to Kill Cancer Cells More Efficiently:  While remarkable progress has been made in the field of oncology, many cancers are still presently incurable. X-ray diffraction data obtained at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source could potentially pave the way for powerful new anti-cancer treatments. 

Revealing the Mechanism of an Otherworldly Metal-Insulator Transition:  Hexagonal iron monosulfide, also known as troilite, features an intriguing crystal structure with multiferroic properties that make it a leading candidate for new technologies such as spintronics. Researchers used the U.S. Department of Energy’s APS to investigate that potential. 

Twisting, Flexible Crystals Key to Solar Energy Production:  Long-hidden molecular dynamics that provide desirable properties for solar energy and heat energy applications to an exciting class of materials called halide perovskites have been revealed by researchers using two U.S. Department of Energy facilities including the Advanced Photon Source.

Bringing to Light the Polymers that Mimic Biomolecular Machines:  A growing amount of research is geared toward creating synthetic soft matter that produces mechanical work through motion in response to external stimuli. Users of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source report the synthesis of a supramolecular-covalent hybrid polymer that contracts when exposed to visible light.

Defining the Laser Speed Limit for 3-D Printing with Metal:  Metal objects manufactured by 3-D printing often contain tiny holes that can weaken the final product. Researchers using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source detailed how such pores are created and defined the best combination of laser energy and scanning speed to avoid causing the defects.

Reading Between the Diamonds: Expanding Deep Carbon:  Research at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source redefines the conditions under which carbonates can exist in the Earth’s lower mantle, adding to our understanding of the deep carbon cycle and the Earth’s evolution.

Tracking the Early Stages of Sequential Infiltration Synthesis:  Researchers used the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source to reveal the structural evolution of inorganic cluster growth and crystallization resulting from sequential infiltration synthesis in polymeric templates with potential applications that extend to virtually all technologies in which periodic nanomaterial structures are desirable.

Strong and Resilient Synthetic Tendons Produced from Hydrogels:  Researchers who transformed a standard hydrogel into an artificial tendon with properties that meet and even surpass those of natural tendons used the the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source to reveal the microscopic structures responsible for the tendon's outstanding features.

Revealing Platinum's Role in Clean Fuel Conversion:  Because platinum is rare and expensive, scientists have been seeking ways to create catalysts that use less of this precious metal. Research at a number of facilities including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source has revealed dynamic, atomic-level details of how an important platinum-based catalyst works in the water gas shift reaction, an important step in producing and purifying hydrogen for multiple applications.