ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JULY/AUGUST 2023 9 University of Minnesota Twin Cities mechanical engineering Ph.D. students Yingying Zhang and Chi Zhang conduct measurements using a home-built system involving ultrafast laser pulses. Courtesy of Dingbin Huang/U of M. the mechanical engineering team to manipulate the material by applying a low voltage to it. “Our results establish low-power, continuously tunable thermal conductivity over an impressive range, opening up some pretty exciting potential device applications,” explains researcher Chris Leighton. umn.edu. HARNESSING X-RAYS FOR HYDROGEN RESEARCH A research team led by the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) used powerful x-ray beams to develop a new understanding of materials critical to the efficient production and use of hydrogen. As part of their study, the scientists report progress in developing a tool that enables them to characterize the materials with a new level of detail. Working at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne, researchers aimed an intense x-ray beam onto a single grain of platinum. Diffraction patterns from that grain were then collected on an x-ray detector and the patterns were converted into images of the sample using customized computer algorithms. A nanodroplet chemical cell was used to control the chemical reaction happening on the platinum grain to produce hydrogen in an electrolyzer, which makes hydrogen fuel from water using electricity; in a reverse operation, the device becomes a fuel cell and converts hydrogen fuel back to electricity. The team’s prototype enabled the investigation of a single nanograin and will allow scanning of all grains in a realistic electrolyzer or fuel cell when the APS upgrade is complete next year. When the revamped APS goes live in 2024, its x-ray beams will be up to 500 times brighter than they are today. anl.gov. An intense x-ray beam (in pink) is focused into a small spot on a single nanoscale grain of a platinum electrode (highlighted within the droplet), then di raction interference patterns of the grain are collected on an x-ray detector (the black screen). Courtesy of Dina Sheyfer/ANL. The Thermal Spray Society (TSS) is dedicated to the expansion of knowledge, technical information, safety guidelines, and best processes and procedures in this unique and valuable surface application. With an unparalleled international community and network, TSS members have access to a global marketplace that continues to grow. Visit asminternational.org for more information. UPCOMING SHOWS Thermal Spray of Suspensions & Solutions Symposium + EBCS (TS4E) SEPTEMBER 12–13, 2023 | UNIVERSITY WEST, SWEDEN International Materials, Applications & Technologies (IMAT) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies OCTOBER 16–19, 2023 | DETROIT, MICHIGAN International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition Advancing Thermal Spray Technology: Innovations, Applications and Sustainability APRIL 29–MAY 1, 2024 | MILAN, ITALY ASM Global Materials Summit An Exclusive Event for Materials Industry Executives DECEMBER 5–7, 2023 | NAPLES, FLORIDA International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition MAY 5–8, 2025 | VANCOUVER, CANADA North American Cold Spray Conference SEPTEMBER 10–11, 2024 | NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA, BOUCHERVILLE
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