Researchers investigate how water molecules react with or on nanoparticle surfaces in aqueous solutions. They found that acidic conditions cause water molecules to split on hematite nanoparticles, while basic pH is required for anatase nanoparticles.
Researchers developed a convolutional neural network to identify structures in cryo-X-Ray-microscopy data, achieving high accuracy within minutes. The AI-based analysis method enables faster evaluation of 3D X-ray data sets and has potential applications in studying cell responses to environmental influences.
Researchers investigated the diffusion lengths of charge carriers in metal oxides and found that they are poorly understood. The study analyzed ten metal oxide compounds and found that their mobilities were very low compared to conventional semiconductors. However, heat treatment improved mobility in some materials.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have achieved a record-breaking efficiency of 32.5% for their tandem solar cells, combining perovskite and silicon technology. The breakthrough was made possible by improved perovskite compounds and surface modification techniques.
A team of scientists discovered that ions transfer through polymer membranes in hybrid liquid-gas electrolyzers via diffusion, not electromigration. This finding has significant implications for the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly energy technologies.
Researchers from Spain, France, and Germany generate a single domain wall on a half metal nanowire and measure significant resistance changes. The study reveals large magnetoresistance effects in La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 nanowires, holding promise for spintronic applications.
Researchers have modeled fractons, stationary quasiparticles, and found they are not visible even at absolute zero temperature due to quantum fluctuations. The team plans to develop a model to regulate these fluctuations, paving the way for experimental materials that could exhibit fractons.
Researchers have developed an electrolyte to improve the efficiency of CO2 conversion into useful hydrocarbons. The study found that controlling the concentration of the electrolyte is crucial in regulating product formation, with too much potassium leading to clogage and reduced selectivity.
A team of researchers has developed a highly sensitive imaging method to detect heavy metals like cadmium in cocoa beans. The study found that cadmium accumulates primarily in the outer shell of the bean and can be reduced through improved processing steps, which could minimize exposure.
Researchers observed lithium ions wandering within composite cathodes, revealing limitations in ion delivery that affect battery performance. The findings suggest a previously overlooked development bottleneck for solid-state battery development, highlighting the need to enhance ion transport within cathode composites.
Researchers have developed a method to reduce the energy payback time of photoelectrochemical water splitting, making it more sustainable and competitive. The approach involves producing not only green hydrogen but also methyl succinic acid, which can be used as an intermediate product.
A team of researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin has developed a new method for producing perovskite solar cells using a slot die coater, resulting in high-power conversion efficiencies. The best cells were scaled up to mini-module size and tested for outdoor stability, showing promising results.
Researchers have developed a new approach to correlative atomic force microscopy, allowing for the simultaneous measurement of electrocatalyst properties. This study focuses on nanostructured copper-gold electrocatalysts and provides insights into catalyst-electrolyte interfaces, enabling targeted optimization.
Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin examined the chemistry of Cobalt-Iron Oxyhydroxides using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. They discovered that iron is present in higher oxidation states than previously thought, which could lead to improved electrocatalysts for water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction.
Researchers have developed a chemical variation that significantly improves the stability of perovskite thin films in solar cells, achieving efficiencies of up to 24.6%. The new coating, b-pV2F, wraps around individual microcrystals like a soft shell, reducing thermal stress and increasing efficiency.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin discovered that high-energy X-rays can cause damage to bone collagen, even at low irradiation doses. The study used powerful X-ray sources and sensitive detectors to examine the effects on fish and mammalian bone samples.
Researchers compared zebrafish and medaka bones, finding medaka lacks bone cells but retains water-absorbing Proteoglycans. The study suggests a new explanation for why some bones respond better to stress than others.
Researchers have developed a new software based on artificial intelligence that can help interpret complex data. The software, called disentangled variational autoencoder network (β-VAE), uses two neural networks to compress and reconstruct data, allowing humans to understand the underlying core principle without prior knowledge.
The new monochromator optics increase photon flux in the tender X-ray range by a factor of 100, allowing highly sensitive spectromicroscopic measurements with high resolutions. This enables data collection on nanoscale materials, such as catalytically active nanoparticles and modern microchip structures, for the first time.
Researchers have discovered that nanodiamonds can emit solvated electrons in water when exposed to visible light, a crucial step towards using them as photocatalysts. This discovery could lead to the development of inexpensive and metal-free processes for converting CO2 into valuable hydrocarbons or converting N2 into ammonia.
Researchers studied BiVO4 photoelectrodes under water vapor and found polarons form due to excess charge, allowing for water dissociation. This process affects the surface's chemical composition and electronic structure, which may impact hydrogen production efficiency.
Scientists have recorded photocatalysis charge separation processes experimentally on Cu2O particles, revealing rapid electron transfer and slower hole trapping, enabling better understanding of photocatalytic water splitting limitations. The technique allows for spatiotemporal imaging of charge transfer in photocatalyst particles.
Scientists have created a new type of battery that stores sodium ions in combination with their solvate shell, enabling reversible co-intercalation. This innovation could improve efficiency and performance at low temperatures, making it suitable for alternative cell concepts.
Scientists used new instrumentation to study the chiral magnetic ordering of Cu2OSeO3, revealing helical and conical magnetic modulations. This discovery enables novel investigations of polar magnetic textures with high spatial resolution and short time scales.
Researchers at HZB develop tandem solar cells using perovskite and silicon, achieving record-breaking efficiencies of up to 29.8%. Customized nanotextures improve perovskite semiconductor materials by reducing reflection losses and parasitic absorption.
Researchers probed local structure and magnetic properties of a Mn-rich Cantor alloy using EXAFS and XMCD techniques. The results show complex magnetic ordering with coexistence of different phases, consistent with macroscopic behavior.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin for Materials and Energy are utilizing X-ray absorption spectroscopy to investigate oxygen evolution in electrocatalysis. This study aims to improve the efficiency of green hydrogen production by developing more stable and cost-effective catalysts.
A team led by Prof. Alan Tennant and Dr Allen Scheie gain deeper insights into the interactions between spins in KCuF3, a simple model material for Heisenberg quantum spin chain. They use neutron scattering to study spatial and temporal evolution of spins.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin used Auger photo-electron coincidence spectroscopy to study the occupation of outer d-orbital shells in copper, nickel, and cobalt. The results confirm known findings for copper and nickel, but reveal highly delocalized d electrons in cobalt.
Researchers have found a way to control spin in Hafnium diselenide, a material that could lead to more efficient spintronics. This discovery provides an entirely new route towards generating spin-polarised currents from transition metal dichalcogenides.
Researchers found that buckyballs on gold do not exhibit unique Dirac cone behavior as previously thought, contrary to previous study suggestions. Instead, the electrons behave in a parabolic relationship between momentum and energy.
Researchers have successfully isolated and characterized rhodium(VII), the third-highest oxidation state of an element, using advanced ion trap technology. This discovery has significant implications for understanding exotic transition metal oxides and potential applications in materials science.
A recent study found that perovskite-on-silicon solar PV modules have 6-18% less environmental impact than traditional silicon modules over their 25-year lifetime. The tandem technology's higher power conversion efficiency compensates for its additional material and production costs.
Researchers have successfully mapped the potential energy surfaces of individual water molecules in liquid water at room temperature and normal pressure. This breakthrough uses X-ray analysis and statistical modeling to reveal the complex behavior of water molecules, shedding light on their role as a solvent.
Scientists investigated the local structure of a high-entropy Cantor alloy using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, revealing structural relaxations in chromium atoms and no evidence of secondary phases. The study correlated these findings with macroscopic magnetic properties.
Researchers have developed an AI-powered approach to calculate molecular spectra using Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), significantly reducing computation time and improving accuracy. The SchNet model achieved a 20% increase in accuracy while reducing computational time, enabling the analysis of complex molecules like quantum dots.
Researchers have used high-speed 4D neutron computed tomography to visualize the three-dimensional water distribution within fuel cells. This allows for optimized channel design and increased efficiency, as excess water can be drained without compromising membrane integrity.
Scientists at HZB created sintered porous silicon-aluminum nanomaterials with reduced thermal conductivity using a novel process. The resulting materials have tiny pores, crystalline nanoparticles, and domain boundaries that suppress heat conduction.
A multidisciplinary research group uses magnetotactic bacteria to create nanomagnetic structures, which can be steered through the human body via external magnetic fields. They have developed a new method to measure the magnetic properties of individual nanomagnets in biological entities, enabling precise control over these structures.
Researchers have tested experimentally two common hypotheses about the transport properties in perovskites, eliminating them as possible explanations for superior charge transport. Measurements by Maryam Sajedi did not show a giant Rashba effect or a postulated increase in effective mass for CsPbBr3 and MAPbBr3 samples.
Scientists have created new photoelectrode materials with improved performance by rapidly heating metal-oxide thin films to high temperatures without damaging the underlying glass substrate. This breakthrough increases the efficiency of solar water splitting and has potential applications for producing 'green' hydrogen and quantum dots.
Researchers proved a conjecture on quantum complexity growth, contradicting the Brown-Susskind intuition that complexity increases linearly for astronomically long times and then remains maximum. Instead, complexity grows linearly with time until it saturates at an exponential point related to system size.
The study presents experimental evidence for Fermi arcs in antiferromagnets, which are fundamentally different from previously reported cases of magnetic splittings. The findings could lead to novel applications in spintronics by exploiting the unique properties of these materials.
A team of scientists successfully investigated the electronic structure of tautomeric mixtures using inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) at BESSY II. They can now experimentally separate the signal of each individual molecule, providing detailed insight into their functionality and chemical properties.
Researchers improve solar cell performance predictions by analyzing terahertz and microwave spectroscopy data, enabling more accurate assessments of material quality. This advancement can quickly test new semiconducting materials for their potential suitability.
Researchers have successfully combined perovskite with silicon in a tandem cell, achieving an efficiency of 21.3%. The team estimates the PCE to be 29.5%, with potential for further improvement through surface optimization.
Lithium-sulfur batteries have high theoretical energy density, but degradation issues with charging cycles. Researchers at HZB analyzed pouch cells using X-ray radiography and sensors to understand particle formation and electrolyte influence.
The review article discusses unconventional metal-based materials for electrocatalysis, including s-, d-, and f-block metals. It aims to accelerate research and development of novel, innovative catalyst materials for efficient green hydrogen production.
Researchers studied Bacillus subtilis biofilms using X-ray diffraction and fluorescence, finding that calcium ions accumulate in the matrix while zinc, manganese, and iron ions accumulate along wrinkles. These findings suggest a link between structure, nutrients, water, and bacterial behavior.
A new database has been launched to systematically record findings on perovskite semiconductors, featuring over 42,000 individual data sets and analysis tools for interactive exploration. The FAIR principles guide the preparation of the data, enabling easy searching with modern algorithms and artificial intelligence.