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Setting a "tight dragnet" for terahertz waves: Heterogeneous interface engineering and 3D-printed metastructures enable 68.3 dB high-efficiency shielding

Researchers developed a heat-venting ceramic metastructure with high terahertz shielding efficiency, combining material modification and structural design. The metastructure exhibited multifunctional characteristics, including hydrophobic and antifouling surfaces and excellent heat dissipation capabilities.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateSep 22, 2026

First switchable graphene nanoribbon that twists on demand

Researchers at Nagoya University have built a graphene nanoribbon that can switch its twist using a natural solvent, opening opportunities for new optical switches, chemical sensors, and spintronic components. The discovery uses a natural chiral liquid to lock in a single spiral direction, with a high degree of helical bias.

SourceNagoya University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 3, 2026

Highly sensitive SWCNT-based pyroelectric phototransistors enable broadband room-temperature infrared detection

Researchers have developed a detector that delivers high sensitivity while operating at ordinary room temperature, using carbon nanotubes and a pyroelectric lithium niobate crystal. The device surpasses earlier graphene-based detectors by several orders of magnitude and offers a broad spectral range without cryogenic cooling.

SourceEditorial Office of Opto-Electronic Journals Group·JournalOpto-Electronic Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 14, 2026

A device that behaves like a single neuron

Researchers created a device that senses and interprets light in the same place, like biological neurons do. This breakthrough could increase the efficiency of vision-based technologies like artificial retinas and smart optical sensors.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNanoscale·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2026

Engineered biochar with minerals could unlock new solutions for soil health and water cleanup

Researchers combine biochar with naturally occurring minerals to create more durable and effective materials for improving soil fertility, capturing contaminants, and delivering nutrients. Engineered composites show promising potential for agricultural and pollution control applications.

SourceBiochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University·JournalBiochar·TypeLiterature review·DateMar 25, 2026

Vibrating atomic tip sculpts 3D memory channels into fragile semiconductors

Prof. Yanquan Geng's team has devised a way to carve variable-depth, three-dimensional trenches into gallium antimonide using a microscopic tip vibrating thousands of times per second. This process improves the crystal's structural integrity and enables the creation of pristine 3D nanogrooves with controlled depths and widths.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateMar 15, 2026

The hidden dangers of nanoplastics

Researchers have found that nanoplastics interact with environmental microbes, strengthening bacteria and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. This can lead to challenges for water treatment and distribution systems. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalWater Research·DateJan 26, 2026

Engineered biochar–clay “thermal sponge” turns waste wood into a green cooling battery for buildings

Researchers have developed a new composite material that stores and releases heat, reducing temperature swings in buildings. The engineered biochar-clay hybrid increased energy storage capacity by 223% and improved thermal conductivity, demonstrating potential for real-world applications.

SourceBiochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University·JournalBiochar·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 21, 2026

Sculpting complex, 3D nanostructures with a focused ion beam

Researchers have developed a new method to fabricate three-dimensional nanoscale devices from single-crystal materials using a focused ion beam instrument. They created helical-shaped devices that behave like switchable diodes, allowing electricity to flow more easily in one direction than the other.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 21, 2026

An unexpected breakthrough in flat optics

A team from Harvard and University of Lisbon found that silica, a low-refractive index material, can be used for making metasurfaces despite long-held assumptions. They discovered that by carefully considering the geometry of each nanopillar, silica behaves as a metasurface, enabling efficient design of devices with relaxed feature sizes.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2026

Joint research validates new semiconductor etching process, achieving five times speed improvement

Researchers at Nagoya University and Tokyo Electron Miyagi Ltd. have developed a new semiconductor etching method that significantly reduces processing time and enhances energy efficiency. The process employs plasma etching with hydrogen fluoride at very low temperatures, eliminating the need for fluorocarbon gases.

SourceNagoya University·JournalChemical Engineering Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 6, 2026

Atom-scale stencil patterns help nanoparticles take new shapes and learn new tricks

Researchers have developed atomic-level precision patterning on nanoparticle surfaces using stencils, creating 'patchy nanoparticles' with various shapes and functions. The technique allows for large-scale production of batched particles with intricate designs, enabling the creation of novel materials and metamaterials.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 15, 2025

Electric‑field‑driven generative nanoimprinting for tilted metasurface nanostructures

The study presents a comprehensive review on electric-field-driven generative nanoimprinting for fabricating complex nanostructures. This technology has the potential to overcome limitations of traditional lithography and enable the creation of next-generation nanomanufacturing technologies.

SourceShanghai Jiao Tong University Journal Center·JournalNano-Micro Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 10, 2025

Rapid weaving of molecular sieve “meshes”

Researchers developed a triggered air-water interfacial coordination assembly method to synthesize ultrathin large-sized continuous 2D MOF membranes within just 30 minutes. The method enables highly accurate permeable and stable H2/CO2 separation, revolutionizing industrial separation processes.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 13, 2025

Manipulation of light at the nanoscale helps advance biosensing

Researchers at the University of Illinois developed cryosoret nanoassemblies that enhance fluorescence signals, reducing detection limits for biomarkers. The new platform offers dual-mode interaction between electric and magnetic components of light, promising highly sensitive and tunable biosensing systems.

A small reaction space has a big impact on polymer chemistry

Researchers at The University of Tokyo have developed a 'molecular flask' that modulates chemical reactions, allowing for the creation of specialized polymers in extremely small spaces. This breakthrough technology enables the production of complex materials with various applications, including optoelectronics and medicine.

SourceInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 24, 2025

Researchers capture nanoparticle movements to forge new materials

Researchers have developed a technique to observe phonon dynamics in nanoparticle self-assemblies, enabling the creation of reconfigurable metamaterials with desired mechanical properties. This advance has wide-ranging applications in fields such as robotics, mechanical engineering, and information technology.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalNature Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 18, 2025