Neutron Sciences 2008 Annual Report - 17.79 MB - Spallation ...

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USER PROGRAM 2008 ANNUAL REPORT
reviewers has more than doubled from 103 to
over 235. This growth has greatly enhanced the
selection process for accepting proposals. In
addition, based on feedback from both users and
ORNL staff, many changes were implemented as
the system matured.
An IPTS Advisory Group was formed to provide
advice on development of IPTS, test enhancements,
and communicate with users and other
stakeholders. Group membership includes users
and staff who use the system. The group developed
new web pages and tested reorganization of
existing pages to improve information flow.
ORNL NEUTRON SCIENCES neutrons.ornl.gov
A Happy User
Dvora Perahia, second from left, with her
Clemson University graduate students.
Institutions throughout the world
represented by users at SNS and
HFIR.
In the summer of 2008, Dvora Perahia, associate professor of
chemistry at Clemson University in South Carolina, and her graduate
students carried out neutron scattering experiments at both
HFIR and SNS. Perahia and the graduate students have been using
neutron tools at various U.S. facilities to investigate the structure
and dynamics of polymers. Their research addresses important
scientific and technological challenges.
“We hope to identify new materials that will enhance the efficiency of fuel cells to provide clean energy, and we are exploring the use of thin polymer films and
nanocomposites as responsive materials,” says Perahia. She explains that responsiveness is the ability of certain materials to change following external triggers such as rising
temperature, presence of a solvent, and exposure to light. The structure and motions of molecules, as revealed by neutron techniques, guide researchers in designing better responsive
materials. Applications of responsive materials could range from drug delivery to self-healing coatings for electronic and optical components.
Perahia characterized her user experience at Oak Ridge as “very exciting because the newly built instruments with the high flux of neutrons from HFIR and SNS open up new research
possibilities in the United States. The success of an experiment depends on multiple factors, including an effective collaboration between the user and the national lab team.”
On the administrative side, Kay Carter in the User Office has been priceless, Perahia says, because she “not only coordinates all the details of our visits, but also makes us feel welcome.