July 30, 2002 — Scientists have discovered hidden details in nanostructures — and, they hope, a road map to useful commercial applications.

null

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and Michigan State University were able to decipher novel materials known as “electrides” by using Brookhaven’s National Synchrotron Light Source. Electrides have useful electronic properties, such as low-energy electron emission.

null

The researchers, whose work was published in the Aug. 12 issue of Physical Review Letters, said their findings could lead to nanomagnets, nanocatalysts and composites with improved optical properties.