From Deseret News archives:
Ute chemist, colleague win physics prize
Joel S. Miller is neither. His title is distinguished professor of chemistry at the University of Utah. Yet he and a fellow researcher who is a physicist and a member of the society are recipients of the 2007 James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials, to be presented by the American Physical Society when the group meets in Denver, March 5-9, 2007.
The $5,000 prize is to be shared by Miller and his long-time research collaborator, Arthur J. Epstein of Ohio State University. Epstein is a distinguished university professor in the departments of physics and chemistry.
The society's Web site (www.aps.org) notes that the McGroddy Prize is awarded to "recognize and encourage outstanding achievement in the science and application of new materials."
Before their discoveries, magnetic materials were metals or metal-based materials like iron or magnetite. "It was our idea to think differently and use organic chemistry and the methods of organic chemistry," Miller said in a Deseret Morning News telephone interview.
They tried to find organic material that could be used to make magnets.
"The initial thought was this was a formidable if not impossible challenge, because there was no basis for this," Miller said. Or maybe, he added, thinking in magnetic terms, there was a "negative basis" an indication that it really could not be done.
But they persevered and discovered ways to manipulate non-metals so their "unpaired electrons" would become magnetic. Some of these can be prepared with solvents, so they are not magnetic when dissolved but become magnetic when the solvent evaporates.
They can be deposited as film that is organic and magnetic. "We can make cast films with it," he said. "We can fabricate it in different ways, because of that."
Eventual applications might include new types of data memory storage on disks. An unusual property that could apply, the researchers found, is that the material's magnetism can be controlled through changes in the color of light shone on it.
Comments
- News briefs 10:41 p.m.
- Ruling appealed in teen beating case 10:39 p.m.
- New St. George courthouse to open 10:39 p.m.
- Charges filed in identity theft 10:37 p.m.
- NFL notes: Singletary still upset 10:37 p.m.
- Helicopters rescue stranded hikers 10:36 p.m.
- FLDS ask for new trust manager 10:36 p.m.
- Payson family loses home in fire 10:34 p.m.
- Teen's turbulent past outlined 10:33 p.m.
- Atty: I-80 'profiling' is illegal 10:32 p.m.
- Letters: Liberal because LDS
278 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
259 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
203 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
191 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - Cougars going back to Vegas
146 - Letters: Global warming a lie
145 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
134 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
119 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
100
For the latest news in the health care debate and how it affects you...
Amazon.com, Target.com, Sears.com, Walmart.com, Kmart.com and...
I disagree. Max's childish outburst was directed at a specific target as were...
I wonder why no one will answer me this. Why is it so hard to understand the...
There was a time when buying our oil from the middle-east made sense. It...
RE: to Chad Alright, I'll take the bait. I have a BS Mechanical...
Chuck it out the window! Start from scratch with a playoff system.
TCU looks as good as any team in the nation and are currently undefeated....
Great article!
Dare I say it? -- The BCS is unAmerican. The question of who deserves to be...
All Knowing (giggle) can you give any proof for that? Sam ham, I keep...
I'm a BYU fan, born and raised in Southern California, and until I got to the...



You can be the first to comment on this story.