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Metal-ion breakthrough leads to new biomaterials

Cornell engineers developed a modular process for designing elastomers with metals like iron and calcium, creating a wide range of mechanical properties. The framework allows for the creation of biodegradable and elastic materials for soft tissue reconstruction and regeneration.

SourceCornell University·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateSep 30, 2020

Highly efficient perovskite solar cells with enhanced stability and minimised lead leakage

Researchers from City University of Hong Kong have developed a novel method to tackle instability and potential environmental impact in perovskite solar cells, achieving high power conversion efficiency while minimizing lead leakage. The team's innovative use of 2D metal-organic frameworks enhances device performance and stability.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateSep 21, 2020

Revisiting ratios

A multinational study has overturned a 130-year old assumption about seawater chemistry, finding that the ratios of key elements like calcium, magnesium and strontium vary considerably across the ocean. This discovery challenges past hypotheses and models, requiring scientists to re-examine their understanding of ocean chemistry.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 1, 2020

A topography of extremes

Scientists successfully combined high pressures, magnetic fields, and ultra-low temperatures to study cer-rhodium-indium-five metal's conducting properties. The resulting phase diagram reveals exciting insights into the mysterious superconductivity of this metal.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 27, 2020

Samara Polytech scientists studied a new compound for lithium and sodium-ion batteries

Researchers at Samara Polytech have synthesized a monoclinic NaVPO4F compound using quenching, which exhibits low sodium ion mobility making it impractical as a cathode active material. A comparative analysis with LiVPO4F revealed the triclinic modification is energetically more favorable, limiting its synthesis.

SourceSamara Polytech (Samara State Technical University)·JournalPhysical Chemistry Chemical Physics·DateAug 26, 2020

One more hit from rare Earth: Efficient coherent spin manipulation by the electric field

Scientists from Peking University have developed an efficient method for manipulating the electron spin using an electric field, overcoming the challenges of traditional magnetic resonance techniques. The breakthrough could lead to significant advancements in quantum information processing and the development of quantum computation units.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateAug 21, 2020

The art of making tiny holes

Researchers have created a method to selectively process surfaces on an atomic scale, leaving one layer intact while perforating another. By utilizing highly charged ions, they can anchor metals on ultra-thin layers, enabling the creation of new materials with promising properties.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalACS Nano·DateAug 3, 2020

Unusual electron sharing found in cool crystal

Researchers at Nagoya University found a highly unusual atomic configuration in a tungsten-based material, where three atoms share only two electrons to form a tritungsten molecule. This discovery suggests the potential for compounds with new and interesting electronic properties.

SourceNagoya University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 31, 2020

Researchers present concept for a new technique to study superheavy elements

The new LRC approach enables the investigation of superheavy elements with extreme sensitivity, even at low production quantities. By combining laser spectroscopy and ion mobility spectrometry, researchers can unveil element-specific emission spectra, providing valuable insights into the electronic structure of these exotic atoms.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 13, 2020

Surprisingly strong and deformable silicon

A team of researchers at ETH Zurich has made a groundbreaking discovery that silicon can be stronger and more deformable than previously thought. They found that by using a specific lithography method, silicon pillars could withstand much greater widths without breaking, offering new possibilities for the fabrication of micro-?electro-...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 10, 2020

Russian scientists demonstrate ion implantation advantages for the use of silicon in optoelectronics

Researchers demonstrate that introducing dislocations through ion implantation can increase the thermal stability of photoluminescence in silicon. By optimizing implantation conditions, they achieved measurable levels of luminescence at room temperature.

SourceLobachevsky University·JournalNuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms·DateJun 5, 2020

A nice day for a quantum walk

Scientists at Osaka University have successfully demonstrated a quantum random walk using trapped ions, which may lead to new quantum simulations of biological systems. The technique relies on precise control of individual ions and can help resolve open questions in chemistry and biology.

SourceOsaka University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMay 25, 2020

Filming quantic measurement for the first time

A team of researchers from the University of Seville and international partners successfully filmed quantic measurement for the first time. The experiment confirmed a subtle prediction in quantum physics, showing that the quantum state changes gradually during measurement rather than instantaneously.

SourceUniversity of Seville·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMay 12, 2020

Quantum jump tipping the balance

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics have successfully measured infinitesimal changes in mass of individual atoms for the first time, opening a new world for precision physics. The team discovered a previously unobserved quantum state in rhenium, which could be interesting for future atomic clocks.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature·DateMay 7, 2020