AlMn Nanoparticles David E. Nikles, University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, DMR 0934920

1. AlMn NanoparticlesDavid E. Nikles, University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, DMR 0934920 Our objective is to devise a means of producing AlMn nanoparticles in the ferromagnetic τ–phase. A mixture of AlCl3 (0.5 mmol), MnCl2 (0.5 mmol), oleic acid (0.7 mL) and phenyl ether (20 mL) was heated to 200°C. A solution of n-butyl lithium (15 mmol) in phenyl ether was added and the mixture was allowed to stir at 200°C for one hour. The particles were isolated by centrifuging. The particles had an average diameter of 4.6 nm and a relatively narrow particle size distribution. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed the composition was Al45Mn55. The particles has a chemically disordered, face-centered cubic structure was a unit cell dimension, a = 379.6 pm. HAADF image of the AlMn nanoparticles TEM image of the AlMn nanoparticles Particle size distribution, n = 587 particles, μ = 4.6 nm, σ = 0.5 nm Electron diffraction showing a fcc latttice, a = 379.6 pm

2. HIGH SCHOOL INTERNS AND INDUSTRIAL OUTREACHDavid E. Nikles, University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, DMR 0934920 Outreach to Industry Magnetic Tape Technology Roadmap For the third time, Nikles is part of the media team for the International Magnetic Tape Technology Roadmap. The Information Storage Industry Consortium (INSIC) is an international consortium of companies provide data storage systems. INSIC supports precompetitive research to support future advances in data storage capacity. INSIC also publishes roadmaps that make predictions on the long term future of one of the segments of the data storage industry. Nikles is working with an international team of scientists and engineers on the magnetic tape technology roadmap for the next decade (2012-2022). The roadmap will predict data storage performance for future magnetic tape storage systems and identify precompetitive research projects. Magnetic tape continues to be the lowest cost, highest data storage capacity data storage medium and is the medium for choice for data archiving. 2011 High School Research Interns The Nanoscience and Engineering High School Research Internship* program at the provides a 10 week summer research experience for high school students. Michael Constant (gray shirt in the back row) was supported by this project and did research on the synthesis of AlMn and BiMn nanoparticles. * D. E .Nikles and G. B. Thompson Proceedings of the Materials Research Society, 2008, 1046-W02-10.