8 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | APRIL 2024 approach could ultimately allow scientists to synthesize only the very best MOF contenders. anl.gov. OBSERVING GRAVITATIONAL WAVES FROM SPACE In January, the European Space Agency in Paris voted to formally adopt the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) as its next large mission, putting the space-based gravitational- wave observatory on track for construction and launch in 10 years. LISA’s discoveries will complement scientists’ knowledge about the beginning, evolution, and structure of the universe. The detector will be sensitive to gravitational waves of a lower frequency than those detected by Earthbound observatories. First predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916, gravitational waves are caused by the rapid motion of compact massive objects, such as neutron stars and black holes. LISA will TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION AI CAPTURES NEW CARBON MATERIALS Researchers from the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Ill., are using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to discover potential materials for use in emission-reducing carbon capture technology. A suitable material for effective carbon capture at low cost has yet to be found, though metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are thought to be promising candidates, as they can selectively absorb carbon dioxide. MOFs have three kinds of building blocks in their molecules—inorganic nodes, organic nodes, and organic linkers, which can be arranged in different relative positions and configurations. As a result, there are countless potential MOF configurations for scientists to design and test. The Argonne Lab researchers are using generative AI and machine learning to speed up the discovery process of previously un- known building block candidates for these specific-use MOFs. Designing MOFs with optimal carbon selectivity and capacity is a significant challenge. By exploring the MOF design space with generative AI, the team was able to quickly assemble, building block by building block, over 120,000 new MOF candidates within 30 minutes. They ran these calculations on the Polaris supercomputer at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility. Using only the most promising candidates, they then turned to the Delta supercomputer at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to carry out time-intensive molecular dynamics simulations. The goal is to screen them for stability, chemical properties, and capacity for carbon capture. The team’s Triangular holes make this material more likely to crack from left to right. Courtesy of N.R. Brodnik et al./Phys. Rev. Lett. Hitachi High-Tech Corp., Tokyo, conducted a proof-of-concept trial using chemicals informatics and materials informatics to improve the efficiency of developing new metal thin film materials for electronic and other devices. The results showed an overall workload reduction of more than 80%. hitachi.com. According to a new report from MarketsandMarkets, Northbrook, Ill., the nondestructive testing and inspection market is forecast to grow from $11.6 billion in 2024 to $18.4 billion in 2029 at a 9.6% compound annual growth rate. marketsandmarkets.com. BRIEFS The proposed LISA mission will detect gravitational waves in space using a trio of satellites, separated by millions of kilometers. Lasers will measure minute changes in their relative distance. Courtesy of AEI/MM/exozet. Model of AI-guided assembly of a novel metal organic framework with high carbon dioxide adsorption capacity and synthesizable linkers. Courtesy of Xiaoli Yan/University of Illinois Chicago and the ALCF Visualization & Data Analytics Team.
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