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1 2 A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 According to the researchers, funda- mental molecular processes can now be understood more precisely with their technique. A general problem in coherent, multidimensional spectroscopy is the complexity of the measurement data, which often makes a clear inter- pretation of the experimental results difficult or even impossible. The situ- ation improves significantly when the experiment is combined with the use of, for example, a mass spectrometer. “This approach gives us the additional and very useful information about the chemical composition of the substance under investigation—a major advan- tage in the study of ultrafast chemical reactions,” explain the researchers. For the new procedure, they combined coherent, multidimensional spectros- copy with photoelectron spectroscopy to ionize substances and measure the energy of released electrons. When TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION ANALYZING CORROSION The initial stages of iron corrosion can nowbe studied in greater detail with a new surface analysis approach devel- oped by researchers at Michigan Tech- nological University, Houghton, Mich. A better understanding of the corrosion process and how fast minerals form cre- ates possibilities for monitoring carbon dioxide capture, water quality byprod- ucts, and improving infrastructure man- agement for old bridges and pipes. The group’s main finding is that the cation in solution—positively charged sodium or calcium ions—influences the type of carbonate films grown when exposed to air. The gradual exposure of oxygen and carbon dioxide produces carbonate films specific to the cat- ion. The iron hydroxides of different shapes and morphologies are with- out gradual air exposure, not specific to the cation. Using a variety of surface-sensitive spec- troscopy and microscopy techniques, the team observed in depth the initial stages of corrosion as a function of time. The team’s surface catalysis approach helps research- ers better understand fundamental environ- mental science and other types of surface pro- cesses. The researchers think their method could help uncover mecha- nisms contributing to polluted water, find ways to mitigate carbon dioxide, prevent bridge collapses, and inspire smarter designs and cleaner fuels, as well as provide deeper insight into Earth’s geochemical processes. mtu.edu . MEASURING ULTRAFAST PROCESSES Researchers at the University of Freiburg, Germany, developed a new measurement method to investigate ultrafast processes at the atomic and molecular levels in matter. The method, which combines different spectroscopy techniques, enables new insights into the energy structure in matter and the probability distribution of electrons. Triangular holes make this material more likely to crack from left to right. Courtesy of N.R. Brodnik et al./ Phys. Rev. Lett. Smithers announces that its testing laboratories in Akron, Ohio, are now Nadcap accredited for nonmetallic materials testing. The accreditation includes both tensile and flexural ambient temperature and strain measurement, tensile/ elongation, and impact strength; physical testing, including density/specific gravity; chemical testing, including IR/ FTIR; and composites testing. smithers.com. BRIEF Iron carbonate and calcium carbonate films form on polished iron as it corrodes. Courtesy of Mikhail Trought, Perrine group. Reprinted with permission from The Journal of Physical Chemistry A. Copyright 2021 American Chemical Society. A combination of spectroscopy techniques provides new insights into the energy structure in matter. Courtesy of Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain.