SUPER SQUEEZE — Using a diamond anvil cell, a group of researchers using the Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source may have found a way to turn ordinary soft lead into a new, super-hard material that “looks” just like diamond.

Researchers at APS
create super-hard carbon

Science has yet to achieve the alchemist’s dream of turning lead into gold. But a group of researchers using the Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS) may have found a way to turn ordinary soft lead into a new, super-hard material that “looks” just like diamond.

The group was led by Wendy Mao, who is a graduate-student mineral physicist at the University of Chicago, which operates Argonne for the Department of Energy. Mao’s father, David, director of the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team and a researcher with the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Geophysical Laboratory, was a member of the group.

Using the high-brilliance X-ray beams from the APS, the researchers discovered that, under extreme pressure, graphite -- among the softest of materials and the source of the lead found in pencils -- becomes as hard as diamond, the hardest known material. What’s more, the new super-hard material can be induced to return to its previous soft state.

Graphite is made of layers of loosely bound carbon atoms that are spaced far apart. Because graphite’s carbon atoms in, for instance, pencil lead are not tightly bound to each other, they can be scraped off, leaving a mark. Diamond’s atoms, which are also carbon, are tightly bound together, giving the material extreme hardness. These diamond-type atom bonds are not easy to achieve. Diamonds in the earth are made by great pressures and intense heat over geological timescales. Many secrets remain about how carbon behaves under high pressure, and the studies by Mao and her collaborators are shedding light on how diamond bonds form.

The researchers carrying out this new study used a diamond anvil cell and inelastic X-ray scattering at the GeoSoilEnviroCARS and High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team beamlines. These specialized research facilities are designed to create extreme pressures. The cell produced a pressure of approximately 17 gigapascals, or 170,000 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level. A pressure of 17 gigapascals would exist more than 300 miles beneath Earth’s surface. By focusing the high-brilliance X-ray beams onto a small spot on the carbon sample, the team collected data on the compositional changes this pressure induced. According to the researchers, the actual measurements took only a few days, thanks to the brightness of the APS X-ray beams.

The group’s findings, reported in the Oct. 17 issue of Science, show that when the graphite was compressed at room temperature, it experienced a startling transformation. Half of the weak, widely spaced bonds between the graphite layers were forced closer together, converting them to stronger, diamond-like bonds. In fact, the graphite became so hard that it cracked the diamond anvil. Moreover, the graphite became an optically transparent, super-hard insulator, much like diamond. But, while the known forms of naturally produced diamond retain their hardness, the graphite in this experiment reverted back to its original softness once the pressure was removed.

While experts point out that more studies are needed before this basic science can be carried over into practical applications, a better understanding of atomic bonding-structure fundamentals will help materials scientists understand how and why a material becomes super-hard. As this X-ray technique evolves, it can be used to find answers to riddles about what transpires at the atomic scale, the key to understanding the behavior of materials.

Researchers using the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team facility study the ways materials react and change under high pressure and varying temperatures. High-pressure researchers have discovered new materials and new physical properties, and have advanced understanding of what happens in highly compressed, hot planetary interiors. Existing high-pressure facilities have been built or planned for specific measurements, but the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team is a specialized facility integrating a wide range of techniques for high-pressure research.

Research conducted at the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team focuses on experiments that take maximum advantage of the extremely high brilliance and X-ray energies available from the APS. Member institutions are the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Geophysical Laboratory; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, High-Pressure Physics Group; University of Nevada, Las Vegas High Pressure Science and Engineering Center; and the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology.

Diplomacy is best
nuclear arms control: Drell

By Margret Chang

Diplomatic solutions are the key to preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, according to Fermi lecturer Sidney Drell.

Drell, physicist and arms control specialist, presented “The Gravest Danger: Nuclear Weapons and Their Proliferation” to a packed auditorium at Argonne-East the 2003 Enrico Fermi Lecture Oct. 28.

“That the international community has agreed to adhere to a ban on nuclear weapons is a miracle, especially considering the number of conflicts that have taken place between various nations in the past few decades,” said Drell. “It’s a definite tribute to the power of democracy and multi-lateral collaboration.”

However, as Drell pointed out, recent outbreaks of terrorism may be a potential threat to this long period of non-proliferation. Quoting President Bush’s comments in the 2002 National Security Strategy, he devoted the majority of his talk to explaining technical and political factors with the potential of reconciling the “crossroads of technology and radicalism” that could bring the world to an all-out nuclear war.

On the technical front, the main barrier to manufacturing nuclear weapons is obtaining raw materials like highly enriched uranium, plutonium or hydrogen isotopes. Maintaining control over the timing and location of the nuclear reaction can also be a difficult task -- one that is a constant issue for nations with high-end nuclear testing programs.

Political concerns mainly revolve around establishing safety regulations and keeping the number of countries with nuclear capabilities as low as possible. According to Drell, the best approach to these matters is to find out the motivation behind a country’s desire to pursue a nuclear arms program.

“Especially if a country is seeking to start a nuclear program for the first time, we should find out its motivation for doing so and work with them to find alternative means to meet their needs. Diplomacy, not force, is what will help nations trust each other and resist the urge to use or develop nuclear weapons.”

Drell is professor of theoretical physics (emeritus) and former deputy director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. He is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford.

Established in 2001, the Enrico Fermi Lecture is an annual event held in honor of the life and accomplishments of the famous physicist.

Humboldt Prize won by Vinokur

Valerii Vinokur (MSD), a senior scientist and director of Argonne’s Materials Theory Institute, has won a prestigious Humboldt Research Prize for his work in the area of superconductivity and nanophysics.

The Humboldt Research Prize, awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, is granted annually to scientists and scholars with internationally recognized academic qualifications. The research award honors the academic achievements of the award winner’s lifetime. Award winners are invited to carry out research projects of their own choice in Germany in cooperation with colleagues. The award is 75,000 Euros, or approximately $90,000.

Humboldt Prize recognizes in part the value and quality and the international impact of the program on nanophysics that Vinokur established at Argonne.

Vinokur said he expects to use his research award to spark collaboration between German scientists and the Argonne Theory Institute, which attracts the leading experts and best talents in the field of condensed matter physics for collaborative work closely related to Argonne’s experimental and theoretical projects.

Vinokur has been at Argonne since 1990, and was named director of Argonne’s Materials Theory Institute when it was established in 2001. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, and was presented the prestigious John Bardeen Award for Theory of Superconductivity earlier this year.

Argonne-West contributes to Science expo

Argonne-West employees played a prominent role in the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) Science Expo, held Oct. 22-25 at the Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls.

The annual expo is aimed at Idaho’s middle-school students, parents, teachers, community leaders and visitors of all ages. It highlights a diverse range of potential careers in science, mathematics, engineering and technology.

Argonne-West exhibits at the expo included the popular “atomic mousetrap” and an information booth on Women in Science and Technology. Another information table featured the University of Chicago, a co-sponsor of the expo.

Mary Adamic (NT-AW) organized an interactive chemistry exhibit at the expo for the Idaho Chapter of the American Chemical Society. The exhibit offered more than 30 hands-on chemistry activities, from separating the colors in marker ink to making “slime.” Activities were led by volunteers and advanced placement chemistry students from Idaho Falls High School. Adamic has coordinated National Chemistry Week activities for the American Chemical Society’s Idaho Section for the last 16 years.

Check pay stub for timely W-2 delivery

Employees will receive their 2003 W-2 and Earnings Summary by mail to their home addresses in January 2004. To prepare for the distribution of the W-2’s, employees should verify the accuracy of the name, address and Social Security numbers that currently appear on their check stubs.

Send corrections to the Payroll Department as soon as possible, but no later than Wednesday, Dec. 10, to avoid W-2 errors and delivery delay. Division Human Resources representatives should also be notified of address changes. HR representatives’ names and telephone numbers are listed on page 6-9 of the Argonne telephone directory.

W-4 reminder

It’s time for employees to review their W-4 status and file a new W-4, if necessary, to avoid penalties on their 2003 personal tax returns for not having enough income tax deducted from their pay checks.

Penalties apply when taxpayer withholding and estimated tax payments total less than 90 percent of the year’s tax liability. Tax status changes may be needed by employees who have married, divorced, had the birth of or adopted a child, purchased or sold a home or have taken a second job. Immediate action is needed to affect 2003 taxes.

CIS CLASSES

Classes offered by Computing and Instrumentation Solutions are held in Argonne-East’s Building 201, Room 167C.

Unless otherwise specified, class sizes are limited to eight participants and cost $215. Complete computer class descriptions, schedules and enrollment forms are available online. For information about enrollment, contact Diane Cavazos (ECT) at ext. 2-7153 or dkcavazos @anl.gov.

December classes include:

“Advanced Word 2000” (CIS108) -- Monday, Dec. 1, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

“Advanced Excel 2000” (CIS109) -- Tuesday, Dec. 2, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

“Advanced Access 2000” (CIS110) -- Wednesday, Dec. 3, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

“Introduction to PowerPoint 2000” (CIS106) -- Thursday, Dec. 4, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

“Advanced PowerPoint 2000” (CIS107) -- Friday, Dec. 5, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

New travel rules
affect lab’s foreign nationals

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has imposed stricter requirements for international travel and re-entry.

Before finalizing plans to travel outside the United States, foreign national employees are encouraged to contact the Human Resources Visa Office about passport and visa requirements to re-enter the United States.

Contact Nancy Griparis at ngriparis@anl.gov or Karen Liptak at kliptak@anl.gov or ext. 2-7652.

Questions about Social Security
can be answered

A representative of the Social Security Administration’s Joliet office will be available in Argonne-East’s Human Resources office Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon.

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 ext. 2-2991.

Pioneers to sell votives

The Argonne Pioneers will sell Orrefors “Firefly” votives, in individual gift boxes, in Argonne-East’s Building 213 Cafeteria Friday, Nov. 21, from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The frosted-glass candleholders will be sold for $10.

Leukemia lecture cancelled

The Nov. 19 lecture on leukemia research supported by the Argonne Combined Appeal has been cancelled.

LDRD work is topic of Nov. 20 talk

A mini-symposium on the results of Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) projects will be held from 2-3:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, in Argonne-East’s Building 201, Conference Room 190A and B. Topics will include:

“Computational Science for Self-Assembly” by Larry Curtiss (MSD)

“Bio/Inorganic Hybrid Arrays for Photovoltaic Cells and Biological Sensors” by Oleg Poluektov (CHM)

“Laser Trapping and Cooling of Radium-225” by Roy Holt (PHY)

“Development of Surface Treatments for Ultra High Gradient Accelerator Cavities” by Jim Norem (HEP)

“Tunable Terahertz Sources” by Ken Gray (MSD)

Holiday to halt
liquid nitrogen, helium delivery

There will be no liquid nitrogen and liquid helium Dewar pickup and delivery service at Argonne-East Thursday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Nov. 30.

The last day to have individual liquid nitrogen Dewars filled will be Wednesday, Nov. 26, before noon. Normal service will resume Monday, Dec. 1.

During this brief holiday closing, normal AGA bulk liquid nitrogen monitoring and filling will continue.

BOC Gases will make a delivery of liquid helium Nov. 26, and is scheduled to return Dec. 1.  All liquid helium orders needed for Nov. 26 must be called in by 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25. Liquid helium orders needed on Dec. 1 must be called in by 3 p.m. Nov. 26. Call Mary Lipowski (PFS-MAT) at ext. 2-3440 to order liquid helium.

For more information, contact Michael Bubulka, Supervisor, PFS Shipping, Receiving and Material Handling, at ext. 2-4939.

Open enrollment
representatives visit ANL-E

Open enrollment for Argonne’s medical plans and flexible spending accounts will be held through Nov. 21.

Read the open enrollment cover letter carefully; it provides information on changes in the rates, plan and HMO medical groups.

Employees who have an e-mail account were sent an e-mail message regarding open enrollment materials on the Web. Employees without e-mail accounts were sent an open enrollment package to their lab addresses.

Contact Human Resources at ext. 2-2985 or 2-2992 for more information.

IAAP to meet on Nov. 19

The Argonne Chapter of The International Association of Administrative Professionals will meet Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 5:30 p.m. at Papa Passero’s Restaurant, 6326 S. Cass Ave., Westmont.

A representative from Office Team will present “Conducting a Career Audit.”

Employees interested in attending or seeking more information should contact Valerie Gaines at ext. 2-5610.

HR offers prostate screening

Prostate screening will be available at Argonne-East Wednesday, Nov. 19, in the Medical Department, Building 201.

The screening is open to Argonne, Department of Energy and University of Chicago men and costs $70. The screening includes physical prostate and testicular exam and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. No fasting is required. Individual results will be returned to the Medical Department.

To register, visit the Medical Department or call ext. 2-2800.

Prostate screenings may be a covered expense under Argonne’s health care plans. Cigna covers 80 percent of the screening costs after meeting an annual $300 deductible. The receipt from the screening (from Preventures) then needs to be submitted to Cigna for reimbursement. HMO-Illinois does not cover the screening. Employees who participate in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account may be reimbursed under this plan if they are not covered under their medical plan.