The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in iron (Fe) nanoparticles incorporated within a titanium nitride (TiN) thin-film matrix grown using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is investigated in this study. The study demonstrates the ability to control the entropy change across the magnetic phase transition by varying the size of the Fe nanoparticles.

Thrust 2 is all about figuring out how the speed of the reaction is influenced by the surface properties and the environment of the catalyst. We will manipulate the surroundings of the catalyst and use different methods to study the chemical reactions happening on the surface. Our goal is to understand how electronic and chemical states can be adjusted to speed up the reaction and improve catalysis.

In Thrust 3, we are focusing on the stability of the catalyst and how to prevent corrosion. We want to understand how the catalyst material changes during the reaction and the formation of chemical bonds. We will explore strategies like applying protective layers and controlling the timing of surface activation. By studying the behavior of the catalyst over multiple reaction cycles, we hope to uncover the connection between surface reconstruction and corrosion.

In August 2022, the DOE awarded North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University a grant to open an EFRC on its campus. N.C. A&T is the first historically Black college and university (HBCU) to receive this funding from the DOE.

The frontier challenge of oxygen evolution catalysis is to extract the molecular details of its elementary steps. We discuss how advances in spectroscopy and theory are allowing for configurations of reaction intermediates to be elucidated.

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) imaging of the RuO2-water interface shows the evolution of surface water during the water oxidation reaction. This achievement is unlocked by the advancement in AFM and charged surface modeling.