18 24 28 P. 14 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 | VOL 182 | NO 1 ASM Welcomes New President New International Standard for Biofilms Teaching Tomorrow’s Materials Science Innovators TEM MEETS MIXED REALITY EMERGING ANALYSIS METHODS
Empowering Materials Innovation & Manufacturing Optimization Reduce financial and technological barriers to innovation with advanced simulation and analytical tools, unparalleled materials data, and expert guidance. Tools & Resources Optimize processes by combining the world’s most trusted materials data with advanced simulation and analytical software Expert Help Empower success with ASM’s expert guidance and educational content ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Leveraging AI to drive enhanced efficiency and more robust analysis World’s most comprehensive digital materials resource for engineering scale data GLOBAL MATERIALS PLATFORM PRO Explore our latest innovations in the Data Ecosystem ASM continues to invest in developing new products and capabilities that accelerate materials innovation Data-Ecosystem.org Data-Ecosystem@asminternational.org LEARN MORE: CONTACT US:
18 24 28 P. 14 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 | VOL 182 | NO 1 ASM Welcomes New President New International Standard for Biofilms Teaching Tomorrow’s Materials Science Innovators TEM MEETS MIXED REALITY EMERGING ANALYSIS METHODS
2024 INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS, APPLICATIONS & TECHNOLOGIES HUNTINGTON CONVENTION CENTER | SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 3, 2024 | CLEVELAND, OHIO MATERIALS FOR ENERGY STORAGE IMAT, ASM International’s annual meeting, will focus on membership and materials community needs, offering an industry-oriented conference and exposition. IMAT will target a broad range of materials, processes, and their applications, with an emphasis on advanced materials and manufacturing technologies. Traditional topics of interest will be explored, including metals, ceramics, composites, coatings, alloy development, microstructure/process/properties relationships, phase equilibria, mechanical behavior, joining, corrosion, and failure analysis. Emerging topics, instrumental in advancing materials development and cutting-edge technologies, will be covered. Technologies such as advanced manufacturing, including additive, Industry 4.0 and digitization of the materials industry, biomedical/multifunctional materials, power and transportation industries, materials for energy, renewable and sustainable materials and processes, as well as materials to enable automation and robotics will be covered. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their research and connect with future materials scientists through various events and competitions. CALL FOR ABSTRACTS ORGANIZED BY: Shape Memory & Superelastic Technologies Abstracts are solicited in the following areas: • Additive Manufacturing • Archaeometallurgy and Ancient Metalworking • Characterization of Materials and Microstructure through Metallography, Image Analysis, and Mechanical Testing: Fundamental and Applied Studies • Corrosion and Environmental Degradation • Emerging Technologies • Failure Analysis • Functional Materials and Structures: Solving Barriers to Adoption • Joining of Advanced and Specialty Materials (JASM XXII) • Light Metal Technology • Materials 4.0: Materials Information in the Product Life Cycle • Materials Behavior & Characterization • Materials for Energy & Utilities • Medical / Biomaterials: Delivering Patient Value • Materials & Processes for Automation • Metals, Ceramics, and Composite Materials: Raw Materials, Processing, Manufacturing Methods, Applications, and Environmental Effects • Perspectives for Emerging Professionals • Processing and Applications • PSDK XV: Phase Stability and Diffusion Kinetics • Sustainable Materials & Processes ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 14, 2024 imatevent.org ORGANIZING PARTNER: CO-LOCATED WITH: IFHTSE World Congress
ADVANCES IN SUPERELASTIC AND SHAPE MEMORY MATERIALS AND APPLICATION REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR SMST 2024 Prepare to immerse yourself in the forefront of shape memory and superelastic technologies at the esteemed SMST 2024 Conference and Exposition, at the luxurious Hotel Cascais Miragem in Cascais, Portugal. Focused on the manufacturing and application of shape memory materials, SMST 2024 is the platform where preeminent experts convene to explore, innovate, and advance the field. Whether you seek improvement, design innovation, or practical applications with Nitinol, SMST is your source for the foremost authorities shaping the future of this dynamic field. Secure your spot now and take advantage of a special early registration discount. Register before April 1, and save €226 on your full conference registration. Full Conference Registration Benefits: • Access to four days of cutting-edge technical programming • Entry to exhibits showcasing the latest innovations • Daily refreshment breaks to keep you energized • Four lunches for networking and sustained learning • Engage at the Welcome Reception, Expo and Poster Reception, and the exclusive CASMART Reception ORGANIZED BY: smstevent.org MAY 6–10, 2024 | HOTEL CASCAIS MIRAGEM | CASCAIS, PORTUGAL
34 ASM HISTORICAL LANDMARK SERIES HOEGANAES CELEBRATES MILESTONE AND LANDMARK STATUS A look at the growth and longevity of a powder metallurgy company along with its historic beginnings as a producer of sponge iron powder utilizing tunnel kiln technology. HOLOMICROSCOPE: TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY MEETS MIXED REALITY Patrick R. Cantwell, Joan D. Stanescu, Andrea J. Harmer, Martin P. Harmer, and Christopher J. Marvel A mixed-reality application called HoloMicroscope helps microscopists make decisions and analyze data efficiently while using TEMs. 14 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 2 Digital composite of a man with an augmented reality simulator. Mixed reality, as described by this issue’s lead article, is far more encompassing. Courtesy of Dreamstime. On the Cover: 36 ASM NEWS The latest news about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other Society activities. 24 EVALUATING BIOFILMS ON MATERIAL SURFACES: A NEW INTERNATIONAL STANDARD Hideyuki Kanematsu, Tomokatsu Ota, Naoki Nakatsugawa, and Susumu Hiranuma A new ISO standard could help spur development of new surface treatments and innovative products that can help defend against harmful bacteria and biofilms.
4 Editorial 5 Research Tracks 10 Machine Learning 13 Energy Trends 6 Metals/Polymers/Ceramics 8 Testing/Characterization 11 Process Technology 12 Emerging Technology 46 Stress Relief 47 Editorial Preview 47 Special Advertising Section 47 Advertisers Index 48 3D PrintShop TRENDS INDUSTRY NEWS DEPARTMENTS Check out the Digital Edition online at asminternational.org/news/magazines/am-p ASM International serves materials professionals, nontechnical personnel, and managers worldwide by providing high-quality materials information, education and training, networking opportunities, and professional development resources in cost-effective and user-friendly formats. ASM is where materials users, producers, and manufacturers converge to do business. Advanced Materials & Processes (ISSN 0882-7958, USPS 762080) publishes eight issues per year: January/February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, and November/December, by ASM International, 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073-0002; tel: 440.338.5151; fax: 440.338.4634. Periodicals postage paid at Novelty, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Vol. 182, No. 1, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024. Copyright © 2024 by ASM International®. All rights reserved. Distributed at no charge to ASM members in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. International members can pay a $30 per year surcharge to receive printed issues. Subscriptions: $499. Single copies: $54. POSTMASTER: Send 3579 forms to ASM International, Materials Park, OH 44073-0002. Change of address: Request for change should include old address of the subscriber. Missing numbers due to “change of address” cannot be replaced. Claims for nondelivery must be made within 60 days of issue. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40732105. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 700 Dowd Ave., Elizabeth, NJ 07201. Printed by Kodi Collective, Lebanon Junction, Ky. 18 PRADEEP GOYAL 2023-2024 PRESIDENT OF ASM INTERNATIONAL Meet Pradeep Goyal, the new president of ASM, and learn about his professional background, service, and contributions as an industry leader. 20 AEROMAT PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS AeroMat brings together hundreds of aerospace professionals and exhibiting companies to discuss and display the latest advancements in aerospace materials and processes. 21 TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT ACCELERATING EXOTIC MATERIALS USE WITH CUSTOM COATING SYSTEMS Custom equipment designed for the deposition of exotic materials allows advanced coating solutions and ceramic matrix composites to be utilized for applications in automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, and the farthest reaches of space. FEATURES JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 | VOL 182 | NO 1 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 3 18 21 28 20 28 TEACHING MATERIALS SCIENCE TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Erik M. Mueller, Frauke Hogue, Dana Drake, Michael Connelly, and Mary K. O’Brien The hands-on experience provided during an Eisenman Materials Camp for students is a compelling way to excite young people to consider a STEM career.
4 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 ASM International 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073 Tel: 440.338.5151 • Fax: 440.338.4634 Joanne Miller, Editor joanne.miller@asminternational.org Victoria Burt, Managing Editor vicki.burt@asminternational.org Frances Richards and Corinne Richards Contributing Editors Anne Vidmar, Layout and Design Allison Freeman, Production Manager allie.freeman@asminternational.org Press Release Editor magazines@asminternational.org EDITORIAL COMMITTEE John Shingledecker, Chair, EPRI Beth Armstrong, Vice Chair, Oak Ridge National Lab Adam Farrow, Past Chair, Los Alamos National Lab Rajan Bhambroo, Tenneco Inc. Daniel Grice, Materials Evaluation & Engineering Surojit Gupta, University of North Dakota Michael Hoerner, KnightHawk Engineering Hideyuki Kanematsu, Suzuka National College of Technology Ibrahim Karaman, Texas A&M University Ricardo Komai, Tesla Bhargavi Mummareddy, Dimensional Energy Scott Olig, U.S. Naval Research Lab Christian Paglia, SUPSI Institute of Materials and Construction Amit Pandey, Lockheed Martin Space Satyam Sahay, John Deere Technology Center India Kumar Sridharan, University of Wisconsin Jean-Paul Vega, Siemens Energy Vasisht Venkatesh, Pratt & Whitney ASM BOARD OF TRUSTEES Pradeep Goyal, President and Chair Navin Manjooran, Senior Vice President Elizabeth Ho man, Vice President Mark F. Smith, Immediate Past President Lawrence Somrack, Treasurer Amber Black Ann Bolcavage Pierpaolo Carlone Hanchen Huang André McDonald Christopher J. Misorski U. Kamachi Mudali James E. Saal Dehua Yang Carrie Wilson, Interim Executive Director STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS Kingsley Amatanweze, Karthikeyan Hariharan, Denise Torres Individual readers of Advanced Materials & Processes may, without charge, make single copies of pages therefrom for personal or archival use, or may freely make such copies in such numbers as are deemed useful for educational or research purposes and are not for sale or resale. Permission is granted to cite or quote from articles herein, provided customary acknowledgment of the authors and source is made. The acceptance and publication of manuscripts in Advanced Materials & Processes does not imply that the reviewers, editors, or publisher accept, approve, or endorse the data, opinions, and conclusions of the authors. A NEW WAY OF SEEING The turn of the calendar to a new year brings with it an opportunity to look at our world in new ways. Likewise, the field of microscopy has been improved over time by various innovators and inventions that literally opened the aperture to allow for fresh ways of seeing the material world. One of the fathers of microscopy, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek of Holland (1632-1723), taught himself methods for grinding and polishing tiny lenses of great curvature that gave magnifications up to 270x. Using these lenses, he built the first practical microscope. Henry Le Chatelier (1850-1936), a French inventor, is credited with developing the modern metallurgical microscope. Exploring from a different angle, the British father-and-son team Sir William Henry Bragg (1862-1942) and Sir William Lawrence Bragg (1890-1971) first showed that diffracted x-rays could be used to map the position of atoms within a crystal and determine its three-dimensional structure. They constructed the first x-ray spectroscope, revolutionizing the study of x-ray crystallography. Meanwhile, experiments in Germany by Ernst Ruska and his adviser Max Knoll made advancements in beam technology in the 1930s. By 1933, the pair had built an electron microscope that could surpass the magnifying limits of the optical microscope at that time. Subsequently, the first practical electron microscope was constructed at the University of Toronto by Eli Franklin Burton (1879-1948) and his students in 1938. The instrument was six feet tall with a magnifying power of 20,000x and a resolution of 140 angstroms. Further advancements led to the development of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and later the scanning electron microscope (SEM). By 1950, commercial TEMs were available with a resolution of ~1 nm. In 1990, the German trio of Maximilian Haider, Harald Rose, and Knut Urban embarked on a project to correct aberrations of optical lenses that had been plaguing the industry for nearly 60 years. In 2001, their work gave rise to the first application-oriented commercial prototype of a new generation of electron microscopes. Advancing to the present, improvements continue to be made every day as to how we view and analyze materials. Recently, researchers at UCLA developed a type of atomic electron tomography that allows for the 3D atomic order of medium and high-entropy alloys (HEAs) to be directly observed for the first time. And now, as described in our lead article, mixed reality enters the picture as a new lab partner for TEM. Working together, the two provide a hightech and efficient method for conducting materials characterization. Users can run computer simulations and interact with holograms as they study and analyze a particular material. Broader than virtual reality, mixed reality allows the user to see more than just what a set of goggles puts in front of them. Their visual field also includes the ability to interact with “real-world” equipment. It’s a comprehensive view of two worlds at once. New times lead to new methods and discoveries. In the field of microscopy, the latest version of reality comes with a much wider view. joanne.miller@asminternational.org Atomic map of an HEA nanoparticle. Courtesy of UCLA.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 5 INERTIAL FUSION ENERGY HUB ANNOUNCED The U.S. Department of Energy awarded a four-year, $16 million project to a multi-institutional team led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to accelerate inertial fusion energy (IFE) science and technology. The effort will be carried out by the newly established IFE Science and Technology Accelerated Research for Fusion Innovation and Reactor Engineering (Starfire) Hub. “The achievement of ignition at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility provides fresh impetus and the scientific foundation for IFE,” says LLNL’s Tammy Ma, principal investigator for the hub. The IFE-Starfire Hub will accelerate demonstration of high-gain target designs, target manufacturing and engagement, and diode-pumped solid state laser technologies, with development of these technologies guided through an IFE-plant modeling framework. The project also will begin RESEARCH TRACKS The Fives Group, Paris, is developing the first CO2 capture solutions for the aluminum industry through a consortium project with Aluminium Dunkerque, Trimet, and Rio Tinto. The collective aims to achieve a 50% reduction in direct CO2 emissions from primary aluminum production by 2030. fivesgroup.com. BRIEF developing the workforce of the future for IFE through partnerships with universities involving new curriculum development. The hub consists of members from seven universities, four U.S. national labs, one international lab, three commercial entities, one philanthropic organization, and three private IFE companies. llnl.gov. SAFE AND SPEEDY BATTERY RECYCLING Spent lithium-ion batteries from laptops, cell phones, and electric vehicles are continuing to accumulate, but most recycling options are limited to burning or chemically dissolving the shredded batteries. Researchers at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have improved on approaches that dissolve the battery in a liquid solution to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals used in the process. The team’s simple and environmentally friendly process overcomes the main obstacles found in traditional approaches. The used battery is soaked in a solution of organic citric acid dissolved in ethylene glycol. This produces a surprisingly efficient separation and recovery process for the metals in the battery cathode, say researchers. “Because the cathode contains the critical materials, it is the most expensive part of any battery, contributing more than Researchers examine vials containing a chemical solution that causes cobalt and lithium to separate from a spent battery. Courtesy of ORNL. 30% of the cost,” says battery researcher Yaocai Bai. “Our approach could reduce the cost of batteries over time.” The research was conducted at ORNL’s Battery Manufacturing Facility, the country’s largest open-access battery manufacturing R&D center. The new recycling method leaches nearly 100% of the cobalt and lithium from the cathode without introducing impurities into the system. It also enables efficient separation of the metal solution from other residues. In addition, the new process serves a secondary function by recovering over 96% of the cobalt in a matter of hours, without the addition of more chemicals in what can be a tricky process of manually balancing acid levels. “This is the first time one solution system has covered the functions of both leaching and recovery,” explains lead researcher Lu Yu. “It was exciting to find that the cobalt would precipitate and settle out without further interference. We were not expecting that.” ornl.gov. The new LLNL-led IFE-Starfire Hub seeks to accelerate inertial fusion energy science and technology.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 6 METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS Atha Energy Corp., Vancouver, B.C., will acquire 92 Energy and Latitude Uranium, two uranium-exploring companies. The deal provides access to 7.1 million acres of exploration area in some of the top uranium jurisdictions in Canada. athaenergy.com. distinct polymers, and 3D printing to reverse engineer a material that expands and contracts in response to temperature change with or without human intervention. Once fabricated into a tangible device, the team tested the new composite material’s ability to respond to temperature changes to perform a simple task—switch on LED lights. The team says one of the hallmarks of their work is the optimization process that helps scientists interpolate the distribution and geometries of the two different polymer materials needed. “Our next goal is to use this technique to add another level of complexity to a material’s programmed or autonomous behavior, such as the ability to sense the velocity of some sort of impact from another object,” explains researcher Shelly Zhang. “This will be critical for robotics materials to know how to STAINLESS STEEL FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) achieved a breakthrough over conventional stainless steel and the development of stainless steel for hydrogen (SS-H ). The newly developed steel exhibits high corrosion resistance, enabling its potential application for green hydrogen production from seawater, where a novel sustainable solution is still in the pipeline. The performance of the new steel in a saltwater electrolyzer is comparable to the current industrial practice of using titanium for structural parts to produce hydrogen from desalted seawater or acid, while the cost of the new steel is much cheaper. By using a sequential dualpassivation strategy, the research team developed the novel SS-H with superior corrosion resistance. In addition to the single chromium oxide-based passive layer, a secondary manganesebased layer forms on the preceding chromium-based layer at ~720 megavolts (mV). The sequential dual-passivation mechanism prevents the SS-H from corrosion in chloride media to an ultrahigh potential of 1700 mV. According to the team, using SS-H is expected to cut the cost of structural material by about 40 times, showing promising potential for many industrial applications. www.hku.hk. RESPONSIVE COMPOSITE MATERIAL A new composite material that changes behavior in response to temperature was created by a collaborative team of researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Houston. These materials are poised to be part of the next generation of autonomous robotics that will interact with the environment. The team used computer algorithms, two A novel stainless steel for hydrogen developed by a team of researchers from the University of Hong Kong. Courtesy of HKU. Velo3D Inc.’s Sapphire family of 3D printers are the first to earn the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Greenlevel Security Technical Implementation Guide Compliance. This allows the printers to be connected to the DoD’s top-secret router network and gives other users confidence that their metal 3D printers are hardened against cyberattacks. velo3D.com. BRIEFS British Steel will invest nearly $1.6 billion to replace two blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant with electric arc furnaces that can use up to 100% scrap steel as raw material, thus significantly reducing carbon emissions. www.britishsteel.co.uk. Research led by the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign produced a new temperature dependent 3D-printed polymer composite that can react to its environment. Courtesy of Shelly Zhang.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 7 respond to various hazards in the field.” illinois.edu. FIGHTING INFECTION WITH 3D-PRINTED METALS Scientists at Washington State University developed a novel surgical implant that remains strong and compatible with surrounding tissue, like current implants, while killing 87% of the bacteria that cause staph infections. The work could lead to better infection control in many common surgeries, such as hip and knee replacements, that are performed daily around the world. Bacterial colonization of the implants is one of the leading causes of their failure and bad outcomes after surgery. “Infection is a problem for which we do not have a solution,” says researcher Amit Bandyopadhyay. “In most cases, the implant has no defensive power from the infection. We need to find something where the device material itself offers some inherent resistance—more than just providing drugbased infection control.” Titanium materials used for hip and knee replacements and other surgical implants were developed more than 50 years ago and are not well suited to overcoming infections. Using 3D-printing technology, the researchers added 10% tantalum, a corrosion-resistant metal, and 3% copper to the titanium alloy typically used in implants. When bacteria encounter the material’s copper surface, almost all of their cell walls rupture. Meanwhile, tantalum encourages healthy cell growth in surrounding bone and tissue, leading to expedited healing for the patient. The researchers spent three years on a comprehensive study of their implant, assessing its mechanical properties, biology, and antibacterial response both in the lab and in animal models. The researchers hope to improve the bacterial death rate to the standard of more than 99% without compromising tissue integration. They also want to ensure the materials offer good performance under real-world loading conditions, such as hiking in the case of a knee replacement. wsu.edu. WSU researchers tested the new 3D-printed material’s resistance to fatigue. Courtesy of WSU Photo Services. Are you maximizing your ASM membership? Expand your knowledge and apply your ASM International member-only discounts to a variety of professional development resources: • Reference Materials • ASM Handbooks Online • Technical Journals • Continuing Education Courses Learn more about your membership benefits by visiting: asminternational.org/membership • Extraordinarily high shear and peel strength •Room temperature curing • Superior electrical insulation properties • Optically clear Adhesive for High Performance Structural Bonding www.masterbond.com Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA +1.201.343.8983 • main@masterbond.com Epoxy EP31 1016LK_3.25x4.875_EP31.indd 1 12/7/11 10:06 PM
8 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF RUBBER MATERIALS Researchers at Waseda University in Japan created an innovative system that can conduct dynamic mechanical analysis and dynamic micro x-ray CT imaging simultaneously. At the core of this novel system is the dynamic micro x-ray CT and a specially designed compact shaker developed by the team that is capable of precise adjustment of vibration amplitude and frequency. “By integrating x-ray CT imaging performed at the large synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8 and mechanical analysis under dynamic conditions, we can elucidate the relationship between a material’s internal structure, its dynamic behavior, and its damping properties,” explains lead researcher Masami Matsubara. The team employed the advanced system to investigate the distinctions TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION CONNECTED PROPERTIES OF METALS New research from the University of Birmingham, U.K., shows that the electronic structure of metals can strongly affect their mechanical properties. The work demonstrates experimentally, for the first time, that the electronic and mechanical properties of a metal are connected. It was previously understood theoretically that there would be a connection, but it was thought that it would be too small to detect in an experiment. Collaborating with the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Germany, the university researchers conducted experiments on strontium ruthenate (Sr2RuO4), a superconducting metal. By measuring lattice distortion as a function of applied stress, the team found that when Sr2RuO4 is compressed by about 0.5%, a measure of mechanical stiffness known as the Young’s modulus decreases by about 10%, and then increases by about 20% when the material is compressed further. This change corresponds to a new set of electronic states becoming occupied at a transition that had been identified earlier through electronic but not mechanical measurements. The scientists built new instrumentation that could measure small and delicate samples, as well as handle cryogenic temperatures, as electronic measurements are more accurate at lower temperatures. This took five years of planning and design. Now that this experiment has been completed on one material, the scientists are keen to conduct similar measurements on other metals. A version of the machine developed for this project is manufactured by a U.K.-based engineering company, and as the apparatus is further developed, it may find application in the study of high-strength alloys. www.birmingham.ac.uk. Triangular holes make this material more likely to crack from left to right. Courtesy of N.R. Brodnik et al./Phys. Rev. Lett. Instron, Norwood, Mass., recently released a new precision specimen loader for improved safety and efficiency when performing mechanical testing on delicate thin film and foil specimens. instron.com. The mechanical properties of a metal are affected by its electronic structure. Courtesy of Nils Rasmusson on Unsplash. Norman Noble Inc., Highland Heights, Ohio, a medical implant manufacturer, added a stateof-the-art Inspection Process Development Center (PDC). The PDC uses the latest automated vision, probing, and scanning capabilities for dimensional inspection. It also includes equipment for SEM, surface, metallurgical, mechanical, and thermal analyses. nnoble.com. BRIEFS This novel system can elucidate the microstructure of rubber-like materials under dynamic conditions. Courtesy of Masami Matsubara/Waseda University.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 9 between styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and natural rubber (NR), as well as to explore how the shape and size of ZnO particles influence the dynamic behavior of SBR composites. The researchers conducted dynamic micro x-ray CT scans on these materials, rotating them during imaging while simultaneously subjecting them to vibrations from the shaker. They then developed histograms of local strain amplitudes by utilizing the local strains extracted from the 3D reconstructed images of the materials’ internal structures. These histograms, in conjunction with the materials’ loss factor, were analyzed to understand their dynamic behavior. The researchers say their new technology could enable the development of fuel-efficient rubber tires or gloves that don’t deteriorate and could even pave the way for the development of artificial organs. www.waseda.jp/top/en. THERMAL RUNAWAY IN LITHIUM BATTERIES Using an imaging technique called operando x-ray microtomography, scientists at California’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley demonstrated that the presence of large local currents inside batteries at rest after fast charging could be one of the causes behind thermal runaway. “We are the first to capture realtime 3D images that measure changes in the state of charge at the particle level inside a lithium-ion battery after it’s been charged,” says researcher Nitash P. Balsara. The team is also the first to measure ionic currents at the particle level inside the battery electrode. Experiments show that when graphite is fully lithiated, it expands a tiny bit, about a 10% change in volume—and that current in the battery at the particle level could be determined by tracking the local lithiation in the electrode. The research team found that after charging the battery in 10 minutes, the local currents in a battery at rest were surprisingly large. The 3D microtomography instrument at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source enabled the researchers to pinpoint which particles inside the battery were the outliers generating alarming current densities as high as 25 milliamps per centimeter squared. The researchers also learned that the measured internal currents decreased substantially in about 20 minutes. Much more work is needed before their approach can be used to develop improved safety protocols. lbl.gov. In rare cases a er fast charging, a resting lithiumion battery can experience thermal runaway. Upcoming Events AeroMat March 12–14 Charlotte, NC Heat Treat Mexico April 9–11 Queretaro, Mexico ITSC April 29–May 1 Milan, Italy SMST May 6–10 Cascais, Portugal North American Cold Spray Conference September 10–11 Boucherville, Canada IMAT September 30–October 3 Cleveland, OH 2024 For more information visit: asminternational.org/events 29th IFHTSE World Congress October 1–3 Cleveland, OH 10th International Conference on Advances in Materials, Manufacturing & Repair for Power Plants October 15–18 Bonita Springs, FL ISTFA October 28–November 1 San Diego, CA
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 10 MACHINE LEARNING | AI GOOGLE’S AI LAB AMPS UP MATERIALS DATABASE The Materials Project, an open- access database founded at the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 2011, computes the properties of both known and predicted materials. Google DeepMind, Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) lab, is now contributing nearly 400,000 new compounds to the project. The dataset includes each compound’s crystal structure and formation energy. To generate the new data, Google DeepMind developed a deep learning tool called Graph Networks for Materials Exploration (GNoME). Researchers trained GNoME using workflows and data that were developed over a decade by the Materials Project and improved the algorithm through active learning. Researchers ultimately produced 2.2 million crystal structures, including 380,000 stable ones they are adding to the Materials Project, making them potentially useful in future technologies. Some of the computations from GNoME were used alongside data from the Materials Project to test A-Lab, a facility at Berkeley Lab where AI guides robots in making new materials. Over 17 days of independent operation, A-Lab successfully produced 41 new compounds out of an attempted 58. To make the compounds, A-Lab’s AI created new recipes by combing through scientific papers and using active learning to make adjustments. Data from the Materials Project and GNoME were then used to evaluate predicted stability. The Materials Project is the most widely used open-access repository of information on inorganic materials in the world. The database holds millions of properties on hundreds of thousands of structures and molecules, and more than 400,000 people are registered as site users. The contribution from Google DeepMind is the biggest addition of structure-stability data since the Materials Project began. lbl.gov. MACHINE LEARNING FOR ENERGY STORAGE Researchers at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) designed a powerful supercapacitor material that stores four times more AI-guided robots created more than 40 new materials predicted by the Materials Project. Courtesy of Berkeley Lab. energy than today’s best commercial material. Commercial supercapacitors have an anode and cathode that are separated and immersed in an electro- lyte. Double electrical layers reversibly separate charges at the interface between the electrolyte and the carbon. The materials of choice for making electrodes for supercapacitors are porous carbons, as the pores provide a large surface area for storing electrostatic charge. The ORNL study used machine learning to guide discovery of the promising material. Colleagues from the University of California, Riverside built an artificial neural network model and trained it to set a clear goal: Develop a “dream material” for energy delivery. The team designed an extremely porous doped carbon that would provide huge surface areas for interfacial electrochemical reactions. Then they synthesized the new material, an oxygen-rich carbon framework for storing and transporting charge. The synthesized material had an impressive capacitance of 611 farads per gram. The data-driven approach allowed the scientists to achieve in three months what would typically take a year or more. ornl.gov. Graphic depicts machine learning finding an energy storage material. Carbon framework shown in black, functional groups with oxygen in pink, and nitrogen in turquoise. Courtesy of ORNL.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 1 1 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY MULTI-METAL MIXING TECHNIQUE BREAKTHROUGH Researchers at The Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona developed a breakthrough mixing technique that enables them to systematically blend many different metals into metal- organic frameworks (MOFs). Their approach relies on specially designed organic linker molecules that gently coax the different metal ingredients to uniformly mix within the MOF structure. By blending together eight different rare-earth metals, the researchers were able to custom-tune the thermal, optical, and magnetic traits of the resulting MOF. section is the conventional cotton: flexible and strong enough for everyday use, and the other side is the conductive material. The cotton can support the conductive material which can provide the needed function.” While intrinsically conductive, polyaniline is brittle and by itself, cannot be made into a fiber for textiles. To solve this, researchers dissolved cotton cellulose from recycled t-shirts into a solution and the conductive polymer into another separate solution. These two solutions were then merged together side-by-side, and the material was extruded to make one fiber. “We wanted these two solutions to work so that when the cotton and the conductive polymer contact each other, they mix to a certain degree to kind of glue together,” Liu says. “But we didn’t want them to mix too much, otherwise the conductivity would be reduced.” Researchers tested the fibers with a system that powered an LED light and another that sensed ammonia gas. Their goal is to integrate fibers like these into apparel as sensor patches with flexible circuits, which could be part of hazardous exposure-detecting uniforms for workers who handle chemicals, such as firefighters or soldiers. Other applications could include health monitoring or exercise shirts that can do more than current fitness monitors. wsu.edu. The key was their specialized organic linker molecule, which contains molecular clusters called carboranes. Carboranes are excep- tionally stable 3D carbon-boron molecules shaped like a soccer ball. The researchers connected two carborane balls together using a rigid rod-like linker. The bulky carborane balls gently pushed apart the different rare-earth metals, while the rod-shaped linker coaxed them to line up in a uniform mixed chain within the MOF. After systematically testing different rare-earth metal combinations, the team succeeded in blending together eight metals with different sizes—a first for MOFs. Analyses showed that the different metals were evenly distributed throughout the MOF crystal, rather than clumping together. Remarkably, the intricate MOF retained the distinct optical, magnetic, and thermal traits contributed by the individual ingredient metals. The MOF displayed versatile magnetic behaviors stemming from the different rare-earth metals, showcasing their potentially tunable functionalities. Two of the metals, terbium and dysprosium, endowed the MOF with single- molecule magnet behavior useful for data storage. The metal-mixing technique could potentially yield a sweeping range of previously inaccessible applications. www.icmab.es. SMART TEXTILES WITH CONDUCTIVE FIBER Using polyaniline, scientists at Washington State University (WSU) developed a single strand of fiber that has the flexibility of cotton and the electric conductivity of a polymer. The newly synthesized material shows promising potential for wearable e-textiles. Researcher Hang Liu explains: “We have one fiber in two sections—one Example of possible outcome from the formation of crystals with various bimetallic combinations and rod-shape secondary building units, resulting in preferential partial segregation. Hang Liu views an image of the new fibers showing their mix of cotton and polyaniline polymer. Courtesy of Dean Hare, WSU Photo Services. Caldera Holding, the owner of Missouri’s Pea Ridge iron mine, entered a nonexclusive R&D licensing agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to apply a membrane solvent extraction technique (MSX) developed at ORNL to mined ores. MSX efficiently separates rare earth elements from mixed mineral ores. ornl.gov. BRIEF
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 12 WORLD’S FIRST ELECTRON-ION COLLIDER The world’s first-ever electron-ion collider (EIC) is slated to be built at Brook- haven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y., with formal planning beginning in 2025 and facility operations to begin in the early 2030s. According to a newly signed Statement of Interest, the construction will be a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The agencies say that the ultra-powerful collider will afford researchers an unmatched ability to explore the building blocks of matter and the strongest force in nature. “The EIC is the only collider planned to be constructed anywhere in the world in the next decade—and the first to collide a beam of high-energy polarized electrons with a counter- circulating beam of high-energy polarized protons or heavier ions,” a statement from Brookhaven National Laboratory explains. “A sophisticated detector will capture snapshots of these collisions to reveal how the particles and forces at the heart of atomic nuclei build up the structure and properties of everything we see in the universe today—from stars to planets to people.” The DOE notes that along with the pure science such a powerful tool can accomplish, they believe the EIC can also help advance numerous practical technologies. These include things like revealing new medical isotopes and particle beam approaches for diagnosing and treating cancer, aiding artificial intelligence and other computational tools for simulating climate change, tracking global pandemics, and protecting national security. In addition, they believe the EIC can accelerate advances in making and testing computer chips, studying proteins and therapeutic drugs, designing better batteries, developing radiation-resistant materials for energy applications, and creat- ing hundreds of highly skilled jobs and training for a future tech-savvy workforce. energy.gov, www.cea.fr/english. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY Carbon dot solutions emit various luminescence under UV illumination. Courtesy of Jia Wang. A schematic of the how the electron-ion collider (EIC) will add electron accelerator and storage rings to the existing relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC). Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory. ORGANIC SEMICONDUCTORS Physicists at Sweden’s Umeå University, in collaboration with re- searchers in Denmark and China, discovered a sustainable alternative to petrochemical and rare metal-based semiconductors for optoelectronics from an unlikely source—pressure- cooked birch leaves. “The essence of our research is to harness nearby renewable resources for producing organic semiconductor materials,” researcher Jia Wang explains. By pressure- cooking birch leaves picked on the Umeå University campus, scientists produced a nanosized carbon particle with desired optical properties. Biobased semiconductor materials such as the researchers’ birch leaves could bolster sustainability efforts, as sharply increasing demand for this advanced technology is driving massive production of organic semiconductor materials. Synthesizing the birch leaves with a pressure cooker, the researchers produced carbon dots about two nanometers in size that emit a narrowband, deep red light when dissolved in ethanol. Wang emphasizes the broader potential of carbon dots beyond just light-emitting devices. “Carbon dots are promising across various applications, from bioimaging and sensing to anti-counterfeiting.” www.umu.se/english. Researchers at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, developed a material crisscrossed by a network of micrometer-size channels similar to those found in the microstructure of a bluebird’s feather. The new material shows promise for use in future battery and filtration applications. www.ethz.ch. BRIEF
13 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD SUPPORTS CARBON NANOTUBES RESEARCH A collaborative team of international researchers is studying carbon nanotube synthesis and its potential for producing industrial materials more sustainably. With over $4M of funding through the Los Angeles-based Kavli Foundation, the project will enable the development of new experimental and theoretical methods with wide-ranging applications in nanomaterials, energy, and more. The foundation’s $1.9M Kavli Exploration Award in Nanoscience for Sustainability sparked an additional $2.2M from Rice University’s Carbon Hub to pursue this important research. When synthesized and assembled properly, carbon nanotube fibers can achieve steel-like strength and conductivity comparable to copper, making them a promising and more sustainable candidate to replace conventional materials widely used in infrastructure. Raw materials to make nanotubes—natural gas and other hydrocarbons—can be accessed in vast quantities but are currently burned as fuels. As the world turns to non-carbon energy, this resource could become available to produce global quantities of nanotubes, replacing dirtier materials and generating clean hydrogen as a byproduct. Researchers hope to gain a more nuanced understanding of the reaction dynamics that produce carbon nanotubes. This includes creating new tools and analytical techniques to understand these complex reactions—including how temperature, pressure, and other conditions affect the products— and how to characterize the yielded carbon nanotubes. The approach of this project could also exemplify a path for other materials in the science of scaleup technologies. kavlifoundation.org, carbonhub.rice.edu. COOLING GLASS FIGHTS CLIMATE CHANGE To combat rising global temperatures, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) created a new cooling glass that can turn down the heat indoors without electricity by drawing on the cold depths of space. The new microporous glass coating can lower the temperature of the material beneath it by 3.5°C at noon and has the potential to reduce a mid-rise apartment building’s yearly carbon emissions by 10%, according to the research team. The coating works in two ways. First, it EMEREGNEINRG YTETCRHENDOSLOGY Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), Calgary, Alberta, launched Horizon New Energy, a company dedicated to increasing renewable energy in Canada. Horizon will focus on development and implementation of solar PV, onshore wind, and battery storage projects. www.horizonnewenergy.ca. BRIEF Scanning electron microscope image of carbon nanotubes. Courtesy of the Pasquali Research Group/Rice University. Prof. Liangbing Hu (le ) and assistant research scientist Xinpeng Zhao display a panel of steel coated with their new radiative cooling glass. Courtesy of A. James Clark School of Engineering/UMD. reflects up to 99% of solar radiation to stop buildings from absorbing heat. It then emits heat in the form of longwave infrared radiation into the icy universe, where the temperature is generally around -270°C, or just a few degrees above absolute zero. In a phenomenon known as radiative cooling, space effectively acts as a heat sink for the buildings. The new cooling glass design, in combination with the so-called atmospheric transparency window—a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that passes through the atmosphere without boosting its temperature—enables buildings to dump large amounts of heat into space. The team is now focusing on further testing and practical applications of their cooling glass and are optimistic about its commercialization prospects. umd.edu.
14 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 Patrick R. Cantwell,* Joan D. Stanescu,* Andrea J. Harmer, and Martin P. Harmer Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Christopher J. Marvel* Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge A mixed-reality application called HoloMicroscope helps microscopists make decisions and analyze data e ciently while using TEMs. *Member of ASM International MIXED-REALITY APPLICATION HOLOMICROSCOPE: TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY MEETS MIXED REALITY
15 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is often considered the most complete characterization tool available to scientists who study materials’ microstructure, crystallography, composition, chemistry, and functional properties. Consequently, significant investments have been made toward improving the newest, most powerful generation of TEMs, which facilitate atomic-resolution imaging via aberration-correction, in-situ experimentation, multi-dimensional characterization (e.g., 4D STEM), and integration of application programming interfaces (APIs) that provide scripting capabilities. However, while the hardware and functionality of TEMs have advanced, little attention has been devoted to implementing new interactive, highly visual, and user-friendly software packages to help users operate the instruments and analyze data. In other words, limited interactive user assistance is available to human operators during data analysis to help streamline their decision-making processes. Development of interactive tools to assist with data analysis, particularly virtual or mixed-reality applications, could transform how users interact with TEMs during materials characterization and analysis. Virtual reality provides a totally immersive experience where 100% of a user’s vision is projected in a virtual world, but this situation causes users to lose awareness of their surrounding physical space. Mixed reality, on the other hand, differs in that users simultaneously function in their real-world environment and visualize and interact with three-dimensional computer-generated objects (called “holograms”) through hand gestures, eye tracking, and voice commands. The ability to maintain a connection to the “real world” using mixed reality is a key advantage compared to virtual reality headsets, which completely block the user’s view of the real world and limit their tactile relationship with their environment. In the context of materials research, using mixed reality augments a user’s interaction by allowing them to see a TEM column and its control panels, while also interacting with three-dimensional holograms that are projected into their field of view, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the mixed-reality application serves as an enhancement to the microscopist’s interface with the TEM, rather than a replacement. Introduction of mixed reality into a data-intensive research workflow is an unexplored aspect of materials characterization and analysis which could accelerate scientific discovery. BACKGROUND The overarching goal is to develop and implement mixed-reality applications to assist researchers during data collection, interpretation, and analysis of data while using TEMs. This mission is supported at Lehigh University and other partner institutions, in particular Louisiana State University (LSU) and The Ohio State University (OSU), through the Lehigh Presidential Nano|Human Interfaces (NHI) Initiative[1]. Furthermore, real-world usage of the mixed- reality application is underway in the Lightweight High Entropy Alloy Development (LHEAD) program[2]. The LHEAD program is a 2021 Cooperative Agreement between Lehigh, LSU, OSU, and the Army Research Laboratory, while the NHI Initiative was supported by former President John Simon and the Lehigh Administration in 2016. In both research programs, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 device was chosen as the mixed-reality framework to create user interfaces that can be tailored for individual users and/or analysis workflows. The implementation of mixed-reality analysis environments represents a drastic change from the Fig. 1 — A microscopist interacting with holograms during a live microscopy session. The microscopist’s point of view, while interacting with simulated images of materials from different zone axes, is projected in the region outlined in teal. common, and often tedious, methods to analyze microscopy data (e.g., images, diffraction patterns, energy dispersive spectroscopy spectra) using conventional computer screens. IDENTIFYING UNKNOWN PHASES A key outcome of efforts thus far is the creation of a mixed-reality application called the HoloMicroscope. It is designed to enhance the effectiveness of microscopists while using TEMs and to provide microscopists with auxiliary information to facilitate their decision-making and improve data analysis efficiency.
flippingbook.comRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTYyMzk3NQ==