NANO-SCHOOL -- These graduate students are learning about self-assembling peptides synthesis. From left to right are Argonne employee Dan Hay (MSD) and graduate students Mark Stoykovich and Brandy Perkins.

Argonne technologies win R&D 100 awards

By Jennifer Wisz 

Three technologies developed or co-developed at Argonne have been recognized with R&D 100 Awards, which highlight some of the best products and technologies from around the world.

This is the 40th year the technology awards have been given by R&D magazine. The awards recognize the 100 most technologically significant new products from the entries they receive. The judges look for products that can change people’s lives for the better, improve the standard of living for large numbers of people, save lives, promote health, protect the environment or help solve vexing problems of importance to the nation and the world.

The Scanning Confocal Electron Microscope (SCEM) allows imaging of sub-surface structures in thick, optically opaque materials, which previously required the use of an X-ray microscope. It also enables imaging at large fields of view and resolutions measured in billionths of a meter. The SCEM’s main application is in studies of nanomaterials, particularly the next generation of electronic, magnetic and photonic devices. These materials may be used in future high-tech consumer electronics that use multi-layered, high-density integrated circuits. Nestor Zaluzec (MSD) developed the SCEM.

The Large-Area Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Film and Deposition System (UNCD) is a diamond-film technology and deposition system developed by Argonne and Innovation Plasma Systems. UNCD uses diamond grains only five nanometers in size and provides the first-ever affordable large-area diamond film coating, suitable for macro-devices, microelectromechanical systems and nanoelectromechanical system devices, biodevices and biosensors.

The coating has a unique combination of mechanical, tribological, chemical, electron transport, thermal transport and biocompatible properties. UNCD films can be used for hermetic coatings and on electrodes for a microchip-based retinal prosthesis to restore sight.

UNCD developers are MSD’s Dieter Gruen, Orlando Auciello and John Carlisle, and Hildegard Sung-Spitzl and Ralf Spitzl of Innovative Plasma Systems.

n Nanostructured Carbide Derived Carbon (CDC) technology is a coating for sliding and rotating equipment applications. The coating can be grown at rates up to 100 micrometers per hour and is composed of graphite, diamond, amorphous carbon and carbon “nano-onions” -- small carbon structures with concentric rings resembling an onion. These components vary between two and 10 nanometers in thickness (one nanometer is one-billionth of a meter). Because of its graded interface, the coating bonds strongly to substrates and does not come free during severe loading or sliding. CDC has exceptional friction and wear resistance in many environments, such as wet, dry and high-temperature environments. Industrial partners are interested in using the coating to seal water pumps in automotive engines to prevent dry-run failure and extend the engine’s lifetime. The development of this coating could save billions of dollars and reduce energy consumption.

Argonne’s Ali Erdemir (ET) developed the technology along with Michael J. McNallan, professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Yury Gogotsi, director of the A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute; and Sascha Welz.and Daniel Ersoy, both Ph.D. students at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

This is Erdemir’s third R&D award. He received awards in 1991 for a boric acid lubricant and in 1998 for Near Frictionless Carbon Coating.

All 100 winners of this year’s award will receive a plaque at the annual awards banquet in October and a write-up in both the print and online version of the September issue of R&D magazine.

Graduate students learn about nanoscience

Students from around the United States visited Argonne-East August 3-10 for the Nanoscience Research Summer School.

The school was open to all graduate students majoring in physics, biology, materials science or a related engineering field at any United States university. 

The main purpose of the week-long summer school was to educate graduate students on the emerging fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The school provided the students with tutorial lectures on the principles of nanofabrication, including chemical and bio-self-assembly and electron beam lithography. The school also offered seminars on the characterization of nanocomposite materials and hands-on experiments focused on nanomaterials projects.

The school was jointly conducted by the Division of Educational Programs and the Argonne Center for Nanoscale Materials. Scientific directors of the school were Leo Ocola (XFD), Xiao-Min Lin (MSD), Millicent Firestone (MSD) and Axel Hoffmann (MSD).

Employee opinions are needed

Laboratory management has asked employees to participate in an employee opinion survey now under way.

The results of the survey will enable the laboratory to better assess its strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.

The survey will be administered by International Survey Research (ISR) and will be available online.

The survey can be completed in less than 20 minutes, and each employee’s input will be kept confidential

Employees who do not have access to a computer can obtain a paper copy of the survey from their division offices. Paper copies should be completed and deposited in the “ISR Survey Return Box” located in the Human Resources lobby in Argonne-East’s Building 201.

At Argonne-West, employees will find a return box in the Human Resources office in Building 710.

Following an analysis of the survey results, management will prepare action plans.

These plans along with survey findings will be discussed with employees through division management.

Badging Office is moving

The employee Badging Office at Argonne-East, now located in Building 302, will relocate to Building 224, the Argonne Information Center, Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The office will be closed Aug. 28 - 29 to accommodate the relocation.

Normal badging operations are expected to resume Sept. 2.

Grunder signals start of annual Director’s Run

By Jennifer Wisz 

Argonne Director Hermann Grunder waved the starting flag to begin the Argonne Running Club’s annual “Director’s Run” July 23.

About 45 employees participated in this year’s event. The run started and ended at the Advanced Photon Source gallery, and consisted of a five-kilometer (three-mile) run and a two-mile walk. Prizes were raffled off and food and refreshments were available for runners after the event.

The Argonne Running Club was formed in the late 1970s and is an advocacy group for all fitness-related activities at Argonne. The Director’s Run originated in the early 1980s, when Walter Massey, who was a runner, was director of the laboratory.

While the Director’s Run is held once a year in June or July, the running club hosts other types of runs on a monthly basis.

“We have St. Patrick’s Day runs and Christmas runs,” said Karl Grimm, president of the Argonne Running Club. “The runs change every month.”

Runners of all abilities are welcome to participate in the club’s events. For information, contact Grimm at ext. 2-6721 or kgrimm@anl.gov, or visit the club’s Web site.

Retiree is Darien Club’s Woman of the Year

For her service and dedication to the Darien Woman’s Club, Evie Fagan (OPA-retired) was named the club’s 2003 Woman of the Year.

“Evie was selected because of the many hours of service she put into the club the past year,” said Darien Woman’s Club President Cindie Hagen, who selected Fagan for the honor.

Hagen made her choice based on the number of activities Fagan participated in, the total number of hours worked and her dedication.

Darien Woman’s Club is a not-for-profit organization affiliated with the Illinois and General Federation of Women’s Clubs. It was founded in 1970 by a group of women who wanted to promote civic pride, cultural improvement and unity among the women of Darien and surrounding communities.

The club puts together a number of projects throughout the year, including blood drives, children’s clothing resales, and clinics that teach teens to be responsible babysitters. Proceeds are used for scholarships; the club has provided as many as four students with tuition for one semester of college.

This year, Fagan participated in 14 different club activities and co-chaired the biannual children’s clothing resale.

Fagan said she was shocked to be named Woman of the Year at the Club’s annual banquet. “I do what I do because I love the club and I love volunteer work,” she said.

SERVICE AWARDS

Service Awards for August include:

40 Years

Donald Cyborski (PHY), Kent A. Orlandini (ER), Denis G. Wozniak (IPNS).

35 Years

Gerald Haruch (CMT), John A. Johnson (PFS), Robert J. McMahon (CIS), C.A. Reilly, Jr. (ER), Joles L. Routbort (ET).

30 Years

U. Emil Berry (NPS), Richard R. Cirillo (DIS), Michael R. Hitz (FAC), Jerry R. Molyneux (FAC).

25 Years

Janice E. Buckley (HR), Lori M. Greenwood (EA), Frederick C. Griffel (FAC), Elliot P. Kanter (CHM), Louise S. Kickels (IPD), David R. Neblett (FAC), Leslie A. Poch (DIS), Elisabeth A. Stull (EA), James O. Thalgott (NPS).

20 Years

Harvey Drucker (EST), David M. Malon (DIS).

15 Years

Dean A. Carbaugh (XFD), Mark L. Dietz (CHM), Carla C. Dwight (ENT), Mitchell T. Farmer (NE), Gary B. Forgeon (ENT), Richard C. Kara (PFS), Stephen E. Kuhlmann (HEP), Bonnie Jeanne Lineberry (NT), Guokui Liu (CHM), L. Roger Santagato (OTD).

10 Years

William N. Hollis (ASD), Andrzej Joachimiak (BIO), Peter L. Lynch (PFS), Gerald L. Motisi (PFS), Roderick C. Salazar (AOD), Jeffrey T. Smeets (PFS), Ronald Vironda (PFS), Robert D. Wilson (ASD), Judith Yaeger (XFD).

5 Years

Brian E. Fauver (NPS), John William Freeland (XFD), Jidong Samuel Jiang (MSD), Tehren C. Killpack (NPS), Yeon Soo Kim (NE), Eric W. Papaioannou (FAC), Anita D. Wanstrom (NPS).

Retirement vendors to visit in September

The laboratory’s retirement vendors will send representatives to Argonne-East during September to meet individually with employees to answer questions about retirement plans or retirement plan assets. To schedule a half-hour appointment, call the number listed.

CIS CLASSES

These classes will be offered during September at Argonne-East. Unless otherwise noted, classes will be held in Building 201, Room 167, are limited to eight participants and cost $215. Complete class descriptions, schedules and enrollment forms are available online. For more information about enrollment procedures, contact Diane Cavazos (CIS) at ext. 2-7153 or dkcavazos@anl.gov.

“Advanced Word 2000” (CIS108) -- Tuesday, Sept. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Advanced Excel 2000” (CIS109) -- Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Advanced Access 2000” (CIS110) -- Thursday, Sept 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Introduction to PowerPoint 2000” (CIS106) -- This course is now a full day. It has been revised to include the first half of “Intermediate PowerPoint.” Friday, Sept. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Social Security questions to be answered

A Social Security representative will be available in Argonne-East’s Human Resources office from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 17.

The representative can:

Conduct Social Security enrollment

Take applications for new Social Security cards, including original cards for newborns, corrected cards due to marriage or replacement cards

Help with earnings posting problems

Answer general questions about Social Security.

To schedule a meeting, call Fran Perri (HR) at ext. 2-2989.

RETIREES

Ronald A. Bare (CIS) retired July 10 with 32 years of service.

James J. Cullen (IPD) retired July 18 with 15 years of service.

Ronald J. DeLand (CIS) retired July 18 with 40 years of service.

John D. DePue (IPD) retired July 29 with 29 years of service.

Dorland E. Edgar (ES) retired July 10 with 25 years of service.

Michael Petrick (ES) retired July 7 with 47 years of service.