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The Bulletin Vol. 65 the Vol. 65B - No. 18 ulletin May 20, 2011 Activated Graphene in Supercapacitors In Memoriam For Superior Energy Storage Maurice Goldhaber New material combines high storage capacity with quick energy release and unlimited recharge 1911–2011 Scientists at BNL have helped to uncover the nanoscale struc- ture of a novel form of carbon, contributing to an explanation of why this new material acts like a super-absorbent sponge when it comes to soaking up electric charge. The material, which was recently created at The University of Texas - Austin Roger Stoutenburgh (UT), can be incorporated into “supercapacitor” energy-stor- age devices with remarkably high storage capacity while retaining other attractive attri- Doug Humphrey butes such as superfast energy D2180511 release, quick recharge time, and a lifetime of at least 10,000 charge/discharge cycles. Dong Su (left) and Eric Stach use a powerful electron microscope to analyze See Supercapacitors on p. 2 samples of activated graphene at BNL’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials. CN10-659-67 SBU, Exxon Research at BNL’s NSLS May Lead to Better Auto Tires Physicist & Former BNL Director Scientists from Stony Brook Uni- The research team at SBU Maurice Goldhaber Dies at 100 versity (SBU) and Exxon Mobil, Maurice Goldhaber, a promi- Gertrude Scharff-Goldhaber. At working at BNL’s National Syn- nent physicist and a former the Lab, he served as chair of chrotron Light Source (NSLS), director of BNL, died on May 11 the Physics Department from have investigated a material that after a short illness. 1960 to 1961, and as Laborato- may lead to greatly improved Goldhaber had celebrated ry Director from 1961 to 1973. tires for cars and other vehicles. his 100th birthday in April, Goldhaber’s research in Their study is an example of how 2011. He was born in Austria, the fields of nuclear physics incorporating nanoparticles into and earned his Ph.D. in phys- and fundamental particles a regular substance can produce a ics at Cambridge University in included experiment, system- material with superior properties “By enhancing the properties bination of the particles’ shapes 1936. In 1938 he came to the atics, technique, and theory. — in this case, increased durabil- of the polymer, there could be and the varied ways they orient U.S. as a faculty member of the He made numerous significant ity and heat resistance. significant improvements in tire within the film create a “tortuous University of Illinois. He joined contributions that helped to es- The work, which was funded performance and significant sav- pathway” for permeating mol- BNL in 1950, along with his tablish parts of the theory of… by the National Science Founda- ings in gasoline consumption, ecules, causing them to zigzag wife, the late nuclear physicist See Goldhaber on p. 2 tion and Exxon Mobil, was pub- perhaps up to 30 percent,” said through the film. As a result, they lished in the October 15, 2010, SBU scientist Ben Hsiao, who led have to travel a longer distance edition of the journal Polymer. the study. over a longer period of time to The research team focused In particular, the researchers cross it. on a material that could serve as wanted to find out how adding The group introduced dif- APS Michael Lucibella, the inner polymer lining of tires. the nanoparticles would affect ferent concentrations of clay At the NSLS, they used x-rays to the polymer film’s gas permeabil- nanoparticles into several poly- investigate how incorporating ity — that is, how well (or poorly, mer film samples and studied nanoparticles of a chemically in this case) molecules can pass each sample using both x-ray modified clay material into a through it. Gas permeability is scattering at NSLS beamline very thin layer of a polymer may one way to gauge how a material X27C and electron microscope achieve tires that last longer than will hold up over time. imaging. In combination, these… At a user science exhibition hosted by the National User Facility Organiza- those currently on the market. They learned that the com- See Research for Tires on p. 2 tion (NUFO) in April are: (from left) William Brinkman, Director, DOE Office of Science; Antonio Lanzirotti, University of Chicago, NSLS Users’ Ex- 50 Future Crystallographers ecutive Committee Chair, NUFO Vice-Chair; Congressman Charles Fleis- chmann (TN); and Thom Mason, Director, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Drawn to the NSLS by RapiData 2011 UEC Represents NSLS, NSLS-II About 50 students gathered at the National Synchrotron Light in Washington, D.C. Exhibition Source (NSLS) on April 3-8 for On April 7, 2011, representa- tific knowledge, promoting sci- RapiData 2011, a weeklong crash tives from the National Syn- ence education, and improving course designed to introduce Roger Stoutenburgh chrotron Light Source (NSLS) economic competitiveness. participants to the best and lat- Users’ Executive Committee Plans for the exhibition were est equipment and techniques (UEC) went to Washington, DC initiated at the request of con- for macromolecular x-ray crys- to participate in a User Science gressional representatives Rush tallography. RapiData allows stu- Exhibition hosted by the Na- Holt (NJ), Judy Biggert (IL) and dents to meet and learn from the tional User Facility Organiza- former representatives Vernon leading developers of software D3710411 tion (NUFO). The event, held in Ehlers (MI) and Bill Foster (IL), in the crystallography field, and the foyer of the Rayburn House who felt it was important to then actually to use NSLS beam- Office Building, was organized educate their colleagues about lines to collect data. to highlight the significant and the research being done by This year marked the 13th RapiData 2011 participants in front of the NSLS-II construction site important role that scientific facility users and how that consecutive year of the popular scientists to determine the ar- taught by an international team user facilities such as the NSLS work benefits the United States. course, which is offered by BNL’s rangement of atoms within a of scientists from BNL, industry, and NSLS-II play nationally in Despite the looming April 8... Biology and NSLS departments, crystallized material based on academia, and other national advancing fundamental scien- See NUFO Meeting on p.3 and reflects an educational com- the way x-ray light bounces off labs. Next, the students were ponent of the PXRR (Macromo- its electrons. This is especially divided into groups and guided Annual Joint NSLS/CFN lecular Crystallography Research important in determining pro- through a marathon data- Users’ Meeting, 5/23-25 Resource), funded jointly by the tein and nucleic acid structures, collection session of two-and-a- All are invited to the plenary ses- National Center for Research which are needed to establish a half-days on eight NSLS beam- sion on Tuesday, 5/24, at 8:30 a.m. Resources — a branch of the Na- fundamental understanding of lines. At the same time, many with updates in science and bud- tional Institutes of Health (NIH) life processes and for developing tutorials were under way, run get, and a keynote address by 2009 — and DOE’s Office of Biological drugs and treatments for disease. by the lecturers themselves. Half Nobel Prize winner Thomas Steitz. & Environmental Research. The course began with three the students brought their… Learn more: www.nsls.bnl.gov/us- X-ray crystallography allows days of lectures and tutorials See RapiData on p. 2 ers/meeting/page.aspx?id=home The Bulletin May 20, 2011 Research for Tires from p. 1 …techniques allowed them to see, in detail, how the particles In Memoriam: Maurice Goldhaber are distributed in the films. Goldhaber from p.1 Messages from colleagues: They discovered that the …subatomic physics now Martin Blume, Physics Department, particles take on two shapes, known as the standard model. a former BNL Deputy Director and cylindrical stacks and platelets, In 1934, with James Chadwick retired editor-in-chief of the Ameri- and position themselves in from the Cavendish Laboratory can Physical Society, said, “Maurice two ways. Some particles settle at Cambridge, he was the first to was a unique icon in the annals horizontally within the polymer measure accurately the mass of of physics. I was happy that I had film, forming layers within it, the subatomic particle known as the opportunity to learn so much and others are oriented perpen- the neutron, showing that it was from him, particularly during our dicularly to the film. not a compound of a proton and discussions on physics and many Further, the group found an electron as was believed at other matters when I drove him to that how the particles become the time, but a new particle. In BNL — his house in Bayport was incorporated into the film is addition to measuring the mass a short distance from mine in Say- dependent on how the film is of the neutron, he contributed ville. This lasted nearly a decade, processed. When the films are to the discovery of the nuclear and was a most interesting time, created using a process called photo-effect, the role of spin in although he became more frail (but melt pressing, the particles tend nuclear reactions, observing the Doug Humphrey his mind didn’t) as time went by. to be cylindrical and orient helicity of the neutrino, and a It was good that he made it to his themselves parallel to the layers wide variety of additional phys- 100th birthday.” of the film. This effect was more ics research. Peter Bond, Senior Advisor to the pronounced when the research- With some reservations, he Director said, “I fondly recall my ers increased the density of also put forward some specula- 10-338-67 interactions with Maurice over the particles, which, they propose, tions, including what became years.
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