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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 847 records · Page 47
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Copper migration and surface oxidation of CuxBi2Se3 in ambient pressure environments

Abstract Chemical modifications such as intercalation can be used to modify surface properties or to further functionalize the surface states of topological insulators (TIs). Using ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we report copper migration in C u x B i 2 S e 3 , which occurs on a timescale of hours to days after initial surface cleaving. The increase in near-surface copper proceeds along with the oxidation of the sample surface and large changes in the selenium content. These complex changes are further modeled with core-level spectroscopy simulations, which suggest a composition gradient near the surface which develops with oxygen exposure. Our results shed light on a new phenomenon that must be considered for intercalated TIs—and intercalated materials in general—that surface chemical composition can change when specimens are exposed to ambient conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

The functions of caspase in whitefly Bemisia tabaci apoptosis in response to ultraviolet irradiation

Abstract Whiteflies ( Bemisia tabaci ) are phloem feeders, and some invasive species are composed of cryptic species complexes that cause extensive crop damage, particularly via the direct transmission of plant viruses. Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death essential for organismal development and tissue homeostasis. The caspases belong to a family of cysteine proteases that play a central role in the initiation of apoptosis in many organisms. Here, we employed a comprehensive genomics approach to identity caspases in B. tabaci Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), an invasive whitefly that carries a cryptic species complex that is devastating to crops. Four caspase genes were identified, and their motif compositions were predicted. Structures were relatively conserved in both putative effector and initiator caspases. Expression patterns of caspase genes differed across insect developmental stages. Three caspase genes were induced immediately after ultraviolet (UV) treatment. Expression levels of Bt‐caspase‐1 and Bt‐caspase‐3b increased in the midgut and salivary glands during apoptosis induced by UV treatments, whereas silencing of both genes reduced UV‐triggered apoptosis. Our study demonstrates that Bt‐caspase‐1 and Bt‐caspase‐3b, respectively, act as putative initiator and effector apoptotic caspases in the MEAM1 whitefly.

Wang, X. ‐R.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Investigating the Effect of Lamination on FAMACs: Toward a New Phase Space of Perovskite Solar Cell Fabrication

The rapid progress in the field of perovskite solar cells has led to efficiencies approaching that of crystalline silicon in single junction devices, and increasing emphasis is now being placed on scalable fabrication strategies that have the potential to truly impact the photovoltaics industry. The standard fabrication route of sequential, layer-bylayer depositions to form the device stack is limited by the small range of selective materials that can withstand successive solvent exposures and thermal annealings. In order to overcome this limitation, we have developed a method to fabricate the device stacks through mechanical lamination under moderate pressures and temperatures. The procedure involves fabricating two transparent conductive oxide/transport material/perovskite half stacks and laminating them together at the perovskite/perovskite interface. This procedure previously achieved 10% efficiency in initial attempts based on methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPI) perovskite compositions. Herein, we reported the fabrication conditions to achieve a reproducible lamination with a complex, multi-cation perovskite, [Cs0.05(MA0.17F A0.83)0.95P b(I0.83Br0.17)3] (FAMACs), laminated at 18 degrees C and with a pressure of 350 psi for 30 minutes. The resulting material showed a sharpening of the optical absorption edge and a slight reduction in the band gap from 1.622 eV to 1.616 eV, indicative of improved ordering and reduced defects. Concurrently, time resolved photoluminescence measurements revealed an increased luminescence lifetime from 85 ns to 123 ns.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Optical Spectroscopy and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies of Molecular Adsorbates and Anisotropic Ultrathin Films

The goal of the research under this project was to develop sufficient fundamental understanding to allowthe controlled preparation of nano-, and meso-structured surfaces with novel optical propertiesand chemical reactivity. The research placed an emphasis on the synthesis of, sometimes complex, surface structures under conditions that allow for detailed control and understanding of the composition and structure and the subsequent relationship to properties and chemical reactivity. In this research we utilized a combination of optical probes (Polarization and angle dependent laser reflectivity and Laser Raman Scattering) with modern surface imaging experiments (electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), and variable temperature ultra high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)). These experiments were combined with conventional methods of UHV surface science (High Resolution Electron Energy Loss Vibrational Spectroscopy (HREELS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS)). The conventional surface probes provide well-tested methods for the preparation and characterization of substrates. The optical probes used provided powerful methods for the characterization of the structure dependent optical properties of novel molecular and nanometer scale, and mesoscale surface structures as well as molecular identification and quantification of adsorbates in monolayers and ultrathin films. A combination of STM and SEM/TEM were utilized to study the growth of mesoscopically ordered nanometer sized metal and metal oxide structures on well-defined substrates such as highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). We developed methods (e.g.photoelectrochemical deposition) to decorate nanometer scale metal oxide structures with transition metal nanoparticles generating Nanoparticles on Nanoscale substrate materials (NpNs). The electronic structure and chemical properties of these new structures were studied and contrasted with those of the more conventional nanoparticles on macroscopic substrate materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

In Situ Monitoring of Direct Ink Write Process Using Electromagnetic Resonant Coupling

Additive manufacturing (AM) of multi-material objects enables the design of complex 3D architectures such as printed electronics and devices. The ability to detect the composition of multi-material printed inks in real time is an emerging need for a wide range of manufacturing applications. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using an in situ sensor to locally measure the composition of inks as they are being printed to facilitate greater control over the resulting properties and functionality of printed materials. Dielectric properties of microscale embedded metal particles in a dielectric matrix are measured and characterized as a function of particle size, shape, volume percentage and frequency. Results show that particle shape has a much greater influence on impedance measurements than the particle size. Measurements are found to agree with calculations based on an anisotropic Maxwell-Garnett dielectric function model. The resulting data can be used to generate a calibration curve correlating metal loading with impedance or capacitance and thus applied as an in situ sensor for compositional measurements during extrusion-based AM.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Microscopic Visualization of Cell-Cell Adhesion Complexes at Micro and Nanoscale

Considerable progress has been made in our knowledge of the morphological and functional varieties of anchoring junctions. Cell-cell adhesion contacts consist of discrete junctional structures responsible for the mechanical coupling of cytoskeletons and allow the transmission of mechanical signals across the cell collective. The three main adhesion complexes are adherens junctions, tight junctions, and desmosomes. Microscopy has played a fundamental role in understanding these adhesion complexes on different levels in both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we discuss the main light and electron microscopy techniques used to unravel the structure and composition of the three cell-cell contacts in epithelial and endothelial cells. It functions as a guide to pick the appropriate imaging technique(s) for the adhesion complexes of interest. We also point out the latest techniques that have emerged. At the end, we discuss the problems investigators encounter during their cell-cell adhesion research using microscopic techniques.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Salt Stress Induces Paramylon Accumulation and Fine-Tuning of the Macro-Organization of Thylakoid Membranes in Euglena gracilis Cells

The effects of salt stress condition on the growth, morphology, photosynthetic performance, and paramylon content were examined in the mixotrophic, unicellular, flagellate Euglena gracilis. We found that salt stress negatively influenced cell growth, accompanied by a decrease in chlorophyll (Chl) content. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy revealed the changes in the macro-organization of pigment-protein complexes due to salt treatment, while the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) investigations suggested a reduction in the thylakoid stacking, an effect confirmed by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At the same time, the analysis of the thylakoid membrane complexes using native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) revealed no significant change in the composition of supercomplexes of the photosynthetic apparatus. Salt stress did not substantially affect the photosynthetic activity, as reflected by the fact that Chl fluorescence yield, electron transport rate (ETR), and energy transfer between the photosystems did not change considerably in the salt-grown cells. We have observed notable increases in the carotenoid-to-Chl ratio and the accumulation of paramylon in the salt-treated cells. We propose that the accumulation of storage polysaccharides and changes in the pigment composition and thylakoid membrane organization help the adaptation of E. gracilis cells to salt stress and contribute to the maintenance of cellular processes under stress conditions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Comparison of microstructural and mechanical properties of friction stir spot welded ultra-high strength dual phase and complex phase steels

Highlights: • The microstructure and mechanical properties of FSSW of ultra high strength DP and CP steels are compared. • The stir zone (SZ) of CP steel mainly consists of bainite and martensite; no bainite is identified in the SZ of DP steel. • The cooling was not fast enough for the CP steel to suppress the effect of chemical composition on phase transformation. - Abstract: The microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir spot welding of ultrahigh strength dual phase (DP) and complex phase (DP) steels are compared based on the experimental results. For both DP and CP steels, FSSW joints are successfully fabricated using the same process parameter set. While the microstructure of joints are characterized in detail using scanning electron microscopy, electron back scattered diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy, the mechanical property of joints are evaluated by shear tensile tests. The result of the microstructural analysis shows that the stir zone (SZ) of CP steel mainly consists of bainite and martensite, while no bainite is identified in the SZ of DP steel. The existence of bainite in the SZ of CP steel suggests that the cooling rate, which is nearly identical for both CP and DP steels, was not fast enough to suppress the effect of the alloying composition, particularly that of Mn, on the phase transformation. The result of the present study contributes to the development of solid state joining process of the ultrahigh strength steels.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Indian Ocean, its supra-subduction history, and implications for ophiolites

We report Ophiolite complexes represent fragments of ocean crust and mantle formed at spreading centers and emplaced on land. The setting of their origin, whether at mid-ocean ridges, back-arc basins, or forearc basins has been debated. Geochemical classification of many ophiolite extrusive rocks reflect an approach interpreting their tectonic environment as the same as rocks with similar compositions formed in various modern oceanic settings. This approach has pointed to the formation of many ophiolitic extrusive rocks in a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) environment. Paradoxically, structural and stratigraphic evidence suggests that many apparent SSZ-produced ophiolite complexes are more consistent with mid-ocean ridge settings. Compositions of lavas in the southeastern Indian Ocean resemble those of modern SSZ environments and SSZ ophiolites, although Indian Ocean lavas clearly formed in a mid-ocean ridge setting. These facts suggest that an interpretation of the tectonic environment of ophiolite formation based solely on their geochemistry may be unwarranted. New seismic images revealing extensive Mesozoic subduction zones beneath the southern Indian Ocean provide one mechanism to explain this apparent paradox. Cenozoic mid-ocean-ridge–derived ocean floor throughout the southern Indian Ocean apparently formed above former sites of subduction. Compositional remnants of previously subducted mantle in the upper mantle were involved in generation of mid-ocean ridge lavas. The concept of historical contingency may help resolve the ambiguity on understanding the environment of origin of ophiolites. Many ophiolites with “SSZ” compositions may have formed in a mid-ocean ridge setting such as the southeastern Indian Ocean.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Genome-wide approaches delineate the additive, epistatic, and pleiotropic nature of variants controlling fatty acid composition in peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract The fatty acid composition of seed oil is a major determinant of the flavor, shelf-life, and nutritional quality of peanuts. Major QTLs controlling high oil content, high oleic content, and low linoleic content have been characterized in several seed oil crop species. Here, we employ genome-wide association approaches on a recently genotyped collection of 787 plant introduction accessions in the USDA peanut core collection, plus selected improved cultivars, to discover markers associated with the natural variation in fatty acid composition, and to explain the genetic control of fatty acid composition in seed oils. Overall, 251 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had significant trait associations with the measured fatty acid components. Twelve SNPs were associated with two or three different traits. Of these loci with apparent pleiotropic effects, 10 were associated with both oleic (C18:1) and linoleic acid (C18:2) content at different positions in the genome. In all 10 cases, the favorable allele had an opposite effect—increasing and lowering the concentration, respectively, of oleic and linoleic acid. The other traits with pleiotropic variant control were palmitic (C16:0), behenic (C22:0), lignoceric (C24:0), gadoleic (C20:1), total saturated, and total unsaturated fatty acid content. One hundred (100) of the significantly associated SNPs were located within 1000 kbp of 55 genes with fatty acid biosynthesis functional annotations. These genes encoded, among others: ACCase carboxyl transferase subunits, and several fatty acid synthase II enzymes. With the exception of gadoleic (C20:1) and lignoceric (C24:0) acid content, which occur at relatively low abundance in cultivated peanuts, all traits had significant SNP interactions exceeding a stringent Bonferroni threshold (α = 1%). We detected 7682 pairwise SNP interactions affecting the relative abundance of fatty acid components in the seed oil. Of these, 627 SNP pairs had at least one SNP within 1000 kbp of a gene with fatty acid biosynthesis functional annotation. We evaluated 168 candidate genes underlying these SNP interactions. Functional enrichment and protein-to-protein interactions supported significant interactions (P-value < 1.0E−16) among the genes evaluated. These results show the complex nature of the biology and genes underlying the variation in seed oil fatty acid composition and contribute to an improved genotype-to-phenotype map for fatty acid variation in peanut seed oil.

Otyama, Paul I.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Multi-‘omic’ analyses of the dynamics, mechanisms, and pathways for carbon turnover in grassland soil under two climate regimes

Soil microbial activity drives the carbon and nitrogen cycles and is an important determinant of atmospheric trace gas turnover, yet most soils are dominated by microorganisms with unknown metabolic capacities. This knowledge gap precludes meaningful predictions of relationships between microorganism types and their biogeochemical functions. Specifically, as climate change physically alters terrestrial ecosystems, the impact on microbial consortia and potential consequences for release of carbon and other nutrients from soils are difficult to predict. In this project, we investigated the identities, activity, and functional potential of microorganisms residing in a well characterized grassland ecosystem (the Angelo Coast Range Reserve) undergoing a controlled 14-year rainfall extension climate change experiment. The research was achieved using a combination of “omics”-based technologies, including genome-resolved metagenomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. The approach allowed us to capture multiple facets of community ecology and activity in situ. Supported by this award, significant progress was made in addressing the grand challenge of achieving genome-resolution for very complex soil microbial communities. In addition to improvements in the methodology, the research required new approaches to define the 3-dimentional distributions of microorganisms and their metabolic traits in soils and to decipher the impact of climate. Underpinning such analyses was the need for sufficient statistical power to test for geographic, soil depth and rainfall controls on community composition and metabolic properties. This required that we scale up throughput substantially. We overcame significant technical barriers to achieve complex microbial community resolution.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Direct ink write multi-material printing of PDMS-BTO composites with MWCNT electrodes for flexible force sensors

Here, with recent advances of additive manufacturing technology, direct ink write (DIW) printing has allowed to incorporate multi-material printing of various materials with freedom of design and complex geometric shapes to complete functional sensors in a one-step fabrication. This paper introduces the use of DIW 3D printing of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with barium titanate (BTO) filler as stretchable composites with tunable piezoelectric properties that can be used for force sensors applications. To improve the bonding between stretchable piezoelectric composites and electrodes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes was included in the fabrication of electrodes at a fixed ratio of 11 wt. %. The alignment of the BTO dipoles was achieved through corona poling method, which applies an electric charge on the surface layer of the functional material, aligning the dipoles in the desired direction and thus gaining the piezoelectricity. Different BTO mixing ratios (10–50 wt. %) were evaluated in order to obtain tunable piezoelectric properties and compare the sensitivity with respect their elastic properties. Tensile testing and piezoelectric testing were carried out to characterize mechanical and piezoelectric properties. Results showed that fabricated PDMS with 50 wt. % BTO gave the highest piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ) of 11.5 pC N -1 and with an output voltage of 385 mV under compression loading of >200 lbF. This demonstrates feasibility of using multi-material DIW printing to fabricate piezoelectric force sensors with integrated electrodes in one-step without compromising the flexibility of the material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Protocol for Engineered Compositional Asymmetry Within Nanodiscs

Membrane proteins remain the most challenging targets for structural characterization, yet their elucidation provides valuable insights into protein function, disease mechanisms, and drug specificity. Structural biology platforms have advanced rapidly in recent years, notably through the development and implementation of nanodiscs—discoidal lipid–protein complexes that encapsulate and solubilize membrane proteins within a controlled, native-like environment. While nanodiscs have become powerful tools for studying membrane proteins, faithfully reconstituting the compositional asymmetry intrinsic to nearly all biological membranes has not yet been achieved. Proper membrane leaflet lipid distribution is critical for accurate protein folding, stability, and insertion. Here, we share a protocol for reconstituting tailored compositional asymmetry within nanodiscs through membrane extraction from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) treated with a leaflet-specific methyl-β-cyclodextrin (mβCD) lipid exchange. Nanodisc asymmetry is verified through a geometric approach: biotin-DPPE-preloaded mβCD engages in lipid exchange with the outer leaflet of POPC GUVs solubilized by the lipid-free membrane scaffold protein (MSP) Δ49ApoA-I to form nanodisc structures. Once isolated, nanodiscs are introduced to the biotin-binding bacterial protein streptavidin. High-speed atomic force microscopy imaging depicts nanodisc–dimer complexes, indicating that biotin-DPPE was successfully reconstituted into a single leaflet of the nanodiscs. This finding outlines the first step toward engineering tailored nanodisc asymmetry and mimicking the native environment of integral proteins—a potentially powerful tool for accurately reconstituting and structurally analyzing integral membrane proteins whose functions are modulated by lipid asymmetry.

Biological and medical sciences↗
DOE OSTI2018

Fabrication and Properties of Composite Artificial Muscles Based on Nylon and a Shape Memory Alloy

This paper focuses on the design, fabrication and investigation of the mechanical properties of new artificial muscles formed by twisting and annealing. The artificial muscles designed by twisting nylon have become a popular topic in the field of smart materials due to their high mechanical performance with a large deformation and power density. However, the complexity of the heating and cooling system required to control the nylon muscle is a disadvantage, so we have proposed a composite artificial muscle for providing a direct electricity-driven actuation by integrating nylon and a shape memory alloy (SMA). In this paper, the design and fabrication process of these composite artificial muscles are introduced before their mechanical properties, which include the deformation, stiffness, load and response, are investigated. The results show that these composite artificial muscles that integrate nylon and a SMA provide better mechanical properties and yield up to a 44.1% deformation and 3.43 N driving forces. The good performance and direct electro-thermal actuation make these composite muscles ideal for driving robots in a method similar to human muscles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Structural, magnetic and impedance spectroscopy analysis of (0.7)CoFe2O4+(0.3)BaTiO3 magnetoelectric composite

Highlights: • Successfully synthesized (0.7)CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}+(0.3)BaTiO{sub 3} composite by ball-milling method. • Structural properties confirmed the presence of both constituent phases. • Dielectric properties showed high value of permittivity and diminished dielectric loss at higher frequency. • Electric response of the constituent phases explained the observed relaxation processes. • Small polaron hopping mechanism governed the conduction mechanism. - Abstract: Magnetoelectric composite of particular composition (0.7)CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}+(0.3)BaTiO{sub 3} was synthesized by ball-milling method. X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the presence of cubic spinel phase for CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and the coexistence of tetragonal phase along with a small fraction of hexagonal phase for BaTiO{sub 3} in the prepared composite. The dielectric permittivity increased with increasing temperature (298–373 K); however, it showed relatively high magnitude of permittivity (∼1100) and diminished dielectric loss (∼0.045) at higher frequency. Complex impedance and modulus plots exhibited responses of different electro-active regions which are explained on the basis of coexistence of resistive and comparatively conductive phases in the prepared composite. Small polaronic hopping model was employed to explain the n-type carrier’s mobility as a possible conduction mechanism; whereas the activation energies calculated from the conduction and relaxation processes were found to be comparable. These results indicate that electric/dielectric properties and relaxation phenomenon are associated to the same origin.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Oxygen isotopic investigation of silicic magmatism in the Stillwater caldera complex, Nevada: Generation of large-volume, low-δ 18 O rhyolitic tuffs and assessment of their regional context in the Great Basin of the western United States

Successive caldera-forming eruptions from ca. 30 to 25 Ma generated a large nested caldera complex in western Nevada that was subsequently dissected by Basin and Range extension, providing extraordinary cross-sectional views through diverse volcanic and plutonic rocks. A high-resolution oxygen isotopic study was conducted on units that represent all major parts of the Job Canyon, Louderback Mountains, Poco Canyon, and Elevenmile Canyon caldera cycles (29.2–25.1 Ma), and several Cretaceous plutons that flank the Stillwater caldera complex. We provide new oxygen and strontium isotope data for 12 additional caldera centers in the Great Basin, which are synthesized with >150 published oxygen and strontium isotope analyses for regional Mesozoic basement rocks. Stillwater zircons span a large isotopic range (δ 18 O zircon of 3.6‰–8.2‰), and all caldera cycles possess low-δ 18 O zircons. In some cases, they are a small proportion of the total populations, and in others, they dominate, such as in the low-δ 18 O rhyolitic tuffs of Job Canyon and Poco Canyon (δ 18 O zircon = 4.0‰–4.3‰; δ 18 O magma = 5.5‰–6‰). These are the first low-δ 18 O rhyolites documented in middle Cenozoic calderas of the Great Basin, adding to the global occurrence of these important magma types that fingerprint recycling of shallow crust altered by low-δ 18 O meteoric waters. The appearance of low-δ 18 O rhyolites in the Stillwater caldera complex is overprinted on a Great Basin–wide trend of miogeoclinal sediment contribution to silicic magmas that elevates δ 18 O compositions, making identification of 18 O depletions difficult. Though not a nominally low-δ 18 O rhyolite, the tuff of Elevenmile Canyon possesses both low-δ 18 O and high-δ 18 O zircon cores that are overgrown by homogenized zircon rims that approximate the bulk zircon average, pointing to batch assembly of isotopically diverse upper crustal melts to generate one of the most voluminous (2500–5000 km 3 ) tuff eruptions in the Great Basin. Despite overlapping in space and time, each caldera-forming cycle of the Stillwater complex has a unique oxygen isotope record as retained in single zircons. Most plutons that were spatially and temporally coincident with calderas have isotopic compositions that diverge from the caldera-forming tuffs and cannot be their cogenetic remnants.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Advanced Electron Microscopy of Nanophased Synthetic Polymers and Soft Complexes for Energy and Medicine Applications

After decades of developments, electron microscopy has become a powerful and irreplaceable tool in understanding the ionic, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and other functional performances of next-generation polymers and soft complexes. The recent progress in electron microscopy of nanostructured polymers and soft assemblies is important for applications in many different fields, including, but not limited to, mesoporous and nanoporous materials, absorbents, membranes, solid electrolytes, battery electrodes, ion- and electron-transporting materials, organic semiconductors, soft robotics, optoelectronic devices, biomass, soft magnetic materials, and pharmaceutical drug design. For synthetic polymers and soft complexes, there are four main characteristics that differentiate them from their inorganic or biomacromolecular counterparts in electron microscopy studies: (1) lower contrast, (2) abundance of light elements, (3) polydispersity or nanomorphological variations, and (4) large changes induced by electron beams. Since 2011, the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been working with numerous facility users on nanostructured polymer composites, block copolymers, polymer brushes, conjugated molecules, organic–inorganic hybrid nanomaterials, organic–inorganic interfaces, organic crystals, and other soft complexes. This review crystalizes some of the essential challenges, successes, failures, and techniques during the process in the past ten years. It also presents some outlooks and future expectations on the basis of these works at the intersection of electron microscopy, soft matter, and artificial intelligence. Machine learning is expected to automate and facilitate image processing and information extraction of polymer and soft hybrid nanostructures in aspects such as dose-controlled imaging and structure analysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗