Researchers have developed two new materials that enhance the capabilities of electronic 'touch,' allowing for more realistic simulations of human skin. These advances enable the creation of wearable healthcare sensors, prosthetics, and artificial skin for robots, with applications in grasping objects without disrupting natural touch.
Researchers found that dry storage conditions at dew points of around -45°C significantly improve high-nickel battery performance. Exposing batteries to humidity leads to premature capacity fade and degradation. The study identifies three processes responsible for impurities, including surface carbonates and hydroxides.
Researchers at MIT developed a two-layered material that provides extended cooling using evaporation, inspired by camel fur. The system can keep perishable goods fresh for up to eight days and has potential applications in food packaging and pharmaceutical storage.
Researchers at USTC develop materials with a hierarchical structure similar to nacre, exhibiting excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. The new materials outperform conventional plastics in terms of strength and toughness, making them a promising alternative for plastic replacement.
Researchers developed a new method to optimize materials exhibiting metal-insulator transitions (MIT) using Bayesian optimization and latent-variable Gaussian processes. The approach identified 12 previously unidentified MIT materials with optimal functionality and synthesizability.
The NUS team has developed a method to convert crustacean shells and wood waste into L-DOPA, a widely used drug for Parkinson's disease, and Proline, essential for collagen and cartilage formation. The process combines chemical and biological approaches, potentially reducing reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels.
An interdisciplinary collaboration has updated the small polaron hopping model to reflect different pathways for conduction in ceramics, enabling researchers to customize metal oxide properties. The new model reveals large energetic barriers associated with switching conduction paths between cations.
Researchers developed a new material that can separate CO2 from industrial waste gases, natural gas, and biogas without chemically binding it. The process is energy-efficient and cost-effective, making it an important contribution to climate protection and sustainable industrial production.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new device that more efficiently processes information using non-volatile computer memory. The breakthrough could revolutionize technologies like voice recognition, image processing, and autonomous driving by reducing energy consumption.
Researchers have developed core-sheath polymer fibers that combine strength with bioactivity, enabling various biomedical applications. The fibers can be tailored to specific needs by carefully selecting inner and outer layer materials, and can even include antiviral agents or drugs.
Recent advances in OFET device models incorporate molecular-level parameters, enabling more accurate simulation of micrometer-sized devices. These models have improved the understanding of charge-transport mechanisms and provided insights into nonlinear current characteristics.
Researchers at Seoul National University have developed an air-stable color conversion layer using perovskite nanocrystals and a flexible polymer matrix, enabling the creation of stretchable displays that can be bent, stretched, and attached to the skin. The new material has shown improved stability and photoluminescence intensity unde...
Researchers at FSU have made new discoveries on the effects of temperature on sustainable polymers, which may help produce environmentally friendly plastics. The team found that certain polymers crystallize in unusual ways when cooled, leading to increased toughness and potential applications for sustainable plastic production.
Researchers developed a computational model to simulate the micromechanical behavior of dried plant cells, providing insight into improving design of industrial machinery for food drying processes. The study also highlights implications for moving beyond plant cells to biomedical and human cosmetic applications.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that brain stimulation therapy can alleviate sound-processing deficits and improve reading accuracy in adults with dyslexia. The therapy, known as transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), was shown to be particularly effective for individuals with poor reading skills.
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have developed new biomaterials based on spider silk proteins that prevent colonization by bacteria and fungi, while also aiding human tissue regeneration. These nanostructured materials are ideal for implants, wound dressings, and other medical devices.
Swansea University researchers have captured the moments a fluid reacts like a solid through a new method of fluid observation under pressurised conditions. The study looks at fluids with a solid-like response to stress, called Discontinuous Shear Thickening (DST), and offers a novel visual indication for future theoretical models.
Researchers developed a new family of polymers that can self-heal, have shape memory, and are recyclable. The materials can be fine-tuned to achieve softness like rubber or strength like load-bearing plastics, making them suitable for realistic prosthetics, soft robotics, and military applications.
Computational experiments on semiconducting polymers show that adding small molecules enhances performance and stability; predicting improved solar cell materials for extreme operational stress-strain conditions. Researchers at Lehigh University used Frontera, the world's fastest academic supercomputer, to demonstrate this finding.
Researchers have created a durable coating using titanium dioxide that can eliminate foodborne germs such as salmonella and E. coli on stainless steel surfaces. The coating, which is also food-safe, provides an additional layer of protection against cross-contamination in meat processing plants.
Flexible on-skin electronics made from pencil traces on paper can record various biomedical signals such as temperature, heart rate, and glucose levels. The technology has the potential to enable transdermal drug delivery and provides a cost-effective solution for monitoring vital signs in low-resource medical settings.
Researchers from ITMO University have improved the technique for processing composites based on nanoporous glass with silver and copper, allowing for precise prediction of optical properties. The suggested method enables the creation of unique optical plasmonic components at a lower cost and with increased ease.
Researchers have developed a new system delivering few-ps pulses at 2 μm wavelength with peak power of 17 GW, exceeding previous records. The system features excellent stability and brilliant beam quality, making it suitable for applications in nonlinear optics, spectroscopy, and materials processing.
Physicists from Max Born Institute and University of Rostock discover light-induced tunneling of electrons in dielectrics, creating a nonlinear current that dominates bright bursts of light. This finding expands fundamental understanding of optical non-linearity and its applications in information processing and material processing.
A breakthrough water treatment method using a solvent-free approach has been developed by Swansea University. The MACS machine manufactures catalysts for ozone, destroying pollutant chemicals such as nitrophenol in water. This technology holds potential to enable radical advances in advanced technology across various disciplines.
Lehigh University has received a state grant to develop a novel polymer coating that can kill coronavirus on surfaces, reducing transmission. The project aims to create a long-lasting, effective coating that can be used in healthcare settings and public spaces.
Researchers at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have developed a unique material design inspired by the human brain's neural structure for brain-like computations. This design strategy promises orders of magnitude reductions in power consumption, suitable for complex data classification and processing.
Scientists at HZB have successfully produced functional light-emitting diodes using a metal halide perovskite material. The new printing process enables the creation of printed LEDs with significantly better optical and electronic characteristics compared to traditional additive manufacturing processes.
The mesopelagic zone, or Twilight Zone, holds the largest and least exploited fish reserves in the oceans, crucial for global carbon cycle and sustainability. Climate change and growing population demand threaten this ecosystem.
Researchers from SUTD developed a simple method to fabricate reproducible planar microstructures of polysiloxane without changing its properties. The new approach, embedded ink writing (EIW), enables direct patterning of polysiloxane on different soft and rigid substrates.
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) exhibit remarkable mechanical properties at high temperatures and exceptional strength, ductility, and fracture toughness at cryogenic temperatures. Researchers reviewed the recent achievements in 3D printing of HEAs, validating laser-based techniques for producing high-quality products.
Engineers have developed an AI-based rapid screening system to test fracture resistance in vast arrays of candidate materials. The system uses machine-learning to analyze the propagation of cracks through a material's molecular structure, reducing testing time from hours to milliseconds.
Researchers develop color-changing photonic crystals that can detect light, temperature, strain, and other stimuli, with potential applications in healthcare, food safety, and biometrics. The wearable sensors are low-cost, flexible, and robust.
Scientists have combined experiments with simulations to reveal new insights into the flow behavior of elasto-visco-plastic materials. Their research highlights the importance of including elasticity in future models, which is crucial for understanding how these materials behave under different conditions.
Researchers have designed a π-conjugated small-molecule HTL material BDT-TPA-sTh, which improves hole-mobility and wettability with the perovskite precursor solution. This enhances the efficiency of p-i-n planar pero-SCs for large-area modular devices.
Researchers at HZB have found a three-dimensional quantum spin liquid in the hyper-hyperkagome lattice of PbCuTe2O6. The discovery was made through both theoretical simulations and neutron experiments, which confirmed the predicted behavior.
Scientists developed a novel method to improve mathematical modeling of nanoscale materials, enabling faster calculations and more accurate predictions. The approach involves creating imaginary rigid grains, reducing bond numbers and computation time.
A comprehensive analysis of a mountainous region in Southwest China reveals the driving mechanisms behind changes in soil chemical composition and distribution. Human activities like mining disrupt natural processes, affecting land quality and ecosystem health.
Researchers developed a hierarchically porous TiO2/rGO hybrid material, which exhibited high and stable surface area and excellent reversible capacity. The material's (001) facets facilitate Li+ insertion-extraction at low current densities, while its porosity dominates the process at high currents.
Researchers develop biocompatible ion-driven soft transistors that can perform real-time neurologically relevant computation. A mixed-conducting particulate composite enables the creation of electronic components out of a single material, allowing for non-invasive recording and processing of brain activity.
Scientists have developed a method for precise, fast and high-quality laser processing of halide perovskites, promising light-emitting materials for solar energy, optical electronics, and metamaterials. The new technology can help to solve the problem of complicated processing and degradation of perovskites under various conditions.
A research team has identified the cause of performance degradation in CQD PV devices and developed a material processing method to stabilize their performance. The method uses ligand substitution with potassium iodide, maintaining device efficiency above 80% for 300 hours.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have developed a technique to produce atomic-scale 3D images of nanoparticles, enabling precise measurement of their atomic positions. They also created an antiferromagnetic switch for computer memory and processing applications, revolutionizing spin-based electronics.
Researchers discovered subrectangular constructs in Calusa archaeological sites, which may have been gates for watercourts. The watercourts contained fish scales from the period of use, suggesting storage and later processing of surplus fish supported the Calusa rulers' authority.
Researchers developed a recipe for creating ideal hybrid memristive-CMOS neuromorphic computing systems, exploiting the advantages of low-precision, noisy, and variable neurons. This work aims to enable compact and efficient real-time processing for applications such as bio-signal processing and brain-machine interfaces.
Researchers developed a room-temperature bonding technique that integrates wide bandgap materials like gallium nitride with thermally-conducting materials like diamond. The interface layer is just four nanometers thick, allowing for two times more efficient heat dissipation.
Researchers have developed nanoantennas that can generate and manipulate spin waves in magnetic materials, enabling the creation of miniaturized analog computing systems. The breakthrough allows for controlled shape and propagation of spin waves, making them ideal for developing energy-efficient computing systems.
Researchers at Cornell University developed a new way to control the properties of high-density polyethylene, a type of plastic commonly used in containers. The breakthrough allows for improved processability and strength while reducing the energy required for production and recycling.
Researchers developed open-source software to assist in creating quantum materials, which could vastly increase computing power and reduce energy consumption. The Quantum KITE initiative uses sophisticated computer programmes to predict material properties, enabling the creation of realistic simulations with unprecedented atom numbers.
Scientists have developed a new method to test microscopic aeronautical materials at ultra-high temperatures, using electron microscopy and laser heating. This breakthrough reduces the time and expense required for such tests, paving the way for the development of new materials for commercial applications.
Researchers developed a new organic photovoltaic cell with an efficiency of 17%, achieved through optimized chemical structures and improved processability. The study demonstrates the potential for larger-area production, expanding the field of organic photovoltaics.
Lehigh University's Ganesh Balasubramanian has received an NSF CAREER award to create a predictive framework for manufacturing complex alloys. The project aims to accelerate the manufacturing process by 50% and reduce costs, while also pushing the industry towards smart manufacturing.
The Graphene Flagship has published a comprehensive guide to graphene manufacturing and processing, providing a single source of knowledge for researchers and industry. The handbook encompasses over 1,500 references and covers techniques for production and characterisation of graphene-related materials.
Deregallera's pilot scale pouch cell production line will demonstrate the company's advanced materials in packaged cells conforming to industrial standard regulations. The project aims to create a massive step-change in developing future-friendly, non-toxic and sustainable energy storage technologies using sodium-ion instead of lithium.
Chinese researchers create an azopolymer that allows light-induced nanoimprinting at room temperature, overcoming heat-dependent issues in traditional photolithography. The technique enables the creation of structurally colored surfaces and has potential applications in nanofabrication and electronics industry.
The Affordable Laser-Free Retrofittable Stroboscopic Solution for Ultrafast Electron Microscopy has been recognized as one of the top innovations of 2019 by R&D World magazine. This device can be retrofit into conventional transmission electron microscopes to image dynamic behaviors of materials over very short timescales.
Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a new technique using powerful lasers and bright x-rays to capture information about extremely dense and hot matter. This breakthrough allows for unprecedented resolution and efficiency in studying warm dense matter, crucial for fusion power and astrophysics.
Researchers have developed a new technique to study electron behavior in atomic bonds using resonant x-ray reflectivity. This method allows for the measurement of individual elements' contributions to their shared bond, providing insights into the degree of covalent and ionic bonding.
Researchers have designed a novel material exhibiting a metal-insulator transition near 600 degrees Celsius, revealing its potential for high-temperature sensors and power electronics. The discovery could inform the design of quantum materials platforms for future electronics.
Researchers studied the interaction of ice crystals and dust particles with vehicle surfaces, revealing rules for material degradation and erosion. The work provides a 'first principles' rule for predicting surface damage in hypersonic flight.