2013-2014 Assessment of the Army Research Laboratory Interim Report (2014) / Chapter Skim
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6 Materials Sciences: Biomaterials, Energy Materials and Devices, and Photonic Materials and Devices
6 Materials Sciences: Biomaterials, Energy Materials and Devices, and Photonic Materials and Devices
Pages 58-70
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From page 58... ...
The review addressed the areas of biomaterials, energy materials and devices, and photonic materials and devices. ARL's materials sciences span the spectrum of technology maturity and address Army applications, working from the state of the art to the art of the possible, according to the ARL.
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From page 59... ...
It addresses needs in situation awareness and force protection in such areas as on-demand production of biomolecular sensing materials in response to new and emerging hazardous threat materials; functional biomolecular materials that are stable in austere environments; persistent surveillance; and ubiquitous sensing. The project has already shown success by developing iterative and integrated multiscale computational biology capabilities -- this is topnotch research.
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From page 60... ...
This research addresses an important need in situation awareness and force protection such as on-demand production of biomolecular sensing materials in response to new and emerging hazardous threat materials. The collaboration with the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies at the University of California at Santa Barbara seems to be productive; extended visits by staff members leading to joint publications are encouraged.
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From page 61... ...
Synthetic Biology Using Quorum Sensing Work on harnessing the natural bacterial communication system involving the communication molecules AI-2 is relevant to the Army needs in areas such as bioterrorism, warfare, food and water safety, medical applications, and fuel integrity. The investigators use synthetic biology to engineer a bacterial sensor and to rewire bacterial communication machinery in order to develop a robust and sensitive biosensing system.
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From page 62... ...
Well-defined geometry is likely to allow the development of theoretical models describing state of charge and the associated volume changes. Atomic Force Microscopy for In Situ Analysis of Li-Ion Battery Materials The formation of a thin, contiguous solid electrolyte interface (SEI)
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From page 63... ...
This is a very specialized topic but of direct relevance to Army operations. Nonnoble Metal Catalysts for Alkaline Fuel Cells These catalysts are supported on graphene.
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From page 64... ...
It may be important to extend knowledge of mechanisms associated with Pd crystal size, diffusion path through crystals versus grain boundaries, lifetime issues that might be associated with crystal ripening, and alloying effects with the support structure that may lead to degradation on the reformer gas side. There is an extensive literature on Pd membranes and their use in exploring reaction mechanisms associated with surface hydrogen.
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From page 65... ...
Modified Model for Improved Flow Regime Prediction in Internally Grooved Tubes Heat transfer during two-phase flow in small-diameter grooved tubes is investigated in this project. This is an important project that has a wide range of specific applications, requiring that the development of general knowledge of flow regimes and associated heat transfer correlations be obtained.
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From page 66... ...
applications at ARL or if this work is considered to be a basic science investigation into possible new metamaterials. Terahertz Probe of Nitride Semiconductor Optoelectronic Materials and Devices This project described a remarkable collection of scientific results on nitride device and materials characterization, and overall it comprised a very promising exploration of new capabilities.
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From page 67... ...
The four thrust areas mentioned in the presentations -- bioinspired materials for energy, detection, and force protection; bioinspired materials for robust networks; bioinspired materials for structural awareness and evolving threats; and bioinspired materials for cognitive nanoscience and transformational medicine -- are quite ambitious for a relatively small biotechnology program. Since these thrusts require a much stronger level of research commitment and resources, a further downselection and narrowing of programs that better suit the resources and capabilities of ARL is required.
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From page 68... ...
Modeling aspects could be brought to bear for predicting hydrogen transfer rates and strain based on pressure differences, among other design issues. It may be important to extend knowledge of mechanisms associated with Pd crystal size; diffusion path through crystals versus grain boundaries; lifetime issues such as might be associated with crystal ripening; and alloying effects with the support structure that may lead to degradation on the reformer gas side.
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From page 69... ...
The overall quality of the research in the biotechnology program has greatly improved over the past year and is excellent in several areas. These include the excellent research on synthetic biomolecular materials; the use of modified bacteria to study the feasibility of converting food waste to butanol; and the search for extremophile dry-tolerant, thermostable proteins for sensing applications.
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From page 70... ...
Overall, in the materials sciences discipline, the quality of the scientific research is excellent, reflecting a broad understanding of the underlying science. There was more effort devoted to understanding and monitoring global research activities than in previous years.
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