Chemist
Geochemistry Group
Chemist
Geochemistry Group

Biography

Dr. Legg, PhD in materials science and engineering, conducts research at the interface of nanoscale materials science and environmental geochemistry. He utilizes advanced nanoscale characterization tools (e.g., high-speed atomic force microscopy and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy) to study pathways of materials formation (e.g., crystal nucleation, growth, and nanoscale assembly) and understand the properties of mineral-water interfaces (including interfacial solution structure, surface-driven assembly, and interfacial thermodynamics). He is excited to help build a fundamental understanding of longstanding problems in geochemistry and other related areas of application such as materials synthesis, corrosion, and battery science.

Research Interest

  • Atomic force microscopy
  • Cryo-electron microscopy
  • Electron microscopy
  • Geochemistry
  • Materials science
  • Surface science
  • Thermodynamics

Education

  • PhD in materials science and engineering, University of California, Berkeley
  • MS in materials sciences, Oregon State University
  • BS in physics, Oregon State University

Publications

2022

  • Jia C., G. Zhu, B.A. Legg, B. Guan, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2022. "Bassanite Grows along Distinct Coexisting Pathways and Provides a Low Energy Interface for Gypsum Nucleation." Crystal Growth & Design 22, no. 11:6582-6587. PNNL-SA-177142. doi:10.1021/acs.cgd.2c00794
  • Legg B.A., K. Voïtchovsky, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2022. "Hydroxide films on mica form charge-stabilized microphases that circumvent nucleation barriers." Science Advances 8, no. 35:Art. No. eabn7087. PNNL-SA-167076. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abn7087
  • Zhang S., R. Sadre, B.A. Legg, H. Pyles, T. Perciano, E.W. Bethel, and D. Baker, et al. 2022. "Rotational Dynamics and Transition Mechanisms of Surface-Adsorbed Proteins." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 119, no. 16:Art. No. e2020242119. PNNL-SA-171180. doi:10.1073/pnas.2020242119

2021

  • Zhu G., M.L. Sushko, J.S. Loring, B.A. Legg, M. Song, J.A. Soltis, and X. Huang, et al. 2021. "Self-similar Mesocrystals Form Via Interface-Driven Nucleation and Assembly." Nature 590, no. 7846:416-422. PNNL-SA-157135. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03300-0

2020

  • De Yoreo J.J., and B.A. Legg. 2020. "What atoms do when they get together." Nature Chemistry 12, no. 10:883-885. PNNL-SA-154063. doi:10.1038/s41557-020-0523-3
  • Legg B.A., M.D. Baer, J. Chun, G.K. Schenter, S. Huang, Y. Zhang, and Y. Min, et al. 2020. "Visualization of Aluminum Ions at the Mica Water Interface Links Hydrolysis State-to-Surface Potential and Particle Adhesion." Journal of the American Chemical Society 142, no. 13:6093-6102. PNNL-SA-153730. doi:10.1021/jacs.9b12530

2019

  • Boily J., L. Fu, A. Tuladhar, Z. Lu, B.A. Legg, Z. Wang, and H. Wang. 2019. "Hydrogen Bonding and Molecular Orientations Across Thin Water Films on Sapphire." Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 555. PNNL-SA-146721. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2019.08.028
  • Song M., J. Lee, B. Wang, B.A. Legg, S. Hu, J. Chun, and D. Li. 2019. "In situ Characterization of Kinetics and Mass Transport of PbSe Nanowire Growth via LS and VLS Mechanisms." Nanoscale 11, no. 13:5874-5878. PNNL-SA-135948. doi:10.1039/C9NR01200A
  • Tuladhar A., Z.A. Jessamy-Chase, M.D. Baer, B.A. Legg, J. Tao, S. Zhang, and A.D. Winkelman, et al. 2019. "Direct Observation of the Orientational Anisotropy of Buried Hydroxyl Groups Inside Muscovite Mica." Journal of the American Chemical Society 141, no. 5:2135-2142. PNNL-SA-140259. doi:10.1021/jacs.8b12483

2018

  • Cheng Y., J. Tao, G. Zhu, J.A. Soltis, B.A. Legg, E. Nakouzi, and J.J. De Yoreo, et al. 2018. "Near Surface Nucleation and Particle Mediated Growth of Colloidal Au Nanocrystals." Nanoscale 10, no. 25:11907 - 11912. PNNL-SA-135333. doi:10.1039/c8nr03408g
  • Henzler K., E. Fetisov, M. Galib, M.D. Baer, B.A. Legg, C. Borca, and J.M. Xto, et al. 2018. "Supersaturated calcium carbonate solutions are classical." Science Advances 4, no. 1:eaao6283. PNNL-SA-128147. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aao6283
  • Nakouzi E., J.A. Soltis, B.A. Legg, G.K. Schenter, X. Zhang, T. Graham, and K.M. Rosso, et al. 2018. "Impact of Solution Chemistry and Particle Anisotropy on the Collective Dynamics of Oriented Aggregation." ACS Nano 12, no. 10:10114-10122. PNNL-SA-138292. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b04909
  • Nakouzi E., J.A. Soltis, B.A. Legg, G.K. Schenter, X. Zhang, T.R. Graham, and K.M. Rosso, et al. 2018. "Impact of Solution Chemistry and Particle Anistropy on the Collective Dynamics of Oriented Aggregation." ACS Nano 12, no. 10:10114-10122. PNNL-SA-132757. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b04909
  • Terban M.W., D. Banerjee, S. Ghose, B.K. Medasani, A.K. Shukla, B.A. Legg, and Y. Zhou, et al. 2018. "Early stage structural development of prototypical zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) in solution." Nanoscale 10, no. 9:4291-4300. PNNL-SA-132466. doi:10.1039/C7NR07949D

2017

  • Li D., H. Wang, D. Xiao, M. Song, B.A. Legg, and J. Chun. 2017. "Investigating the magnitude and source of orientation-dependent interactions between TiO2 crystal surfaces." Nanoscale 9, no. 29:10173-10177. PNNL-SA-126674. doi:10.1039/C7NR03535G

2016

  • Legg B.A., and J.J. De Yoreo. 2016. "The Energetics of Prenucleation Clusters in Lattice Solutions." Journal of Chemical Physics 145, no. 21:Article No. 211921. PNNL-SA-118541. doi:10.1063/1.4964489