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Finnish research shows inaccuracies in emission measurements of important greenhouse gas, N2O

A recent study by the University of Eastern Finland and others found significant inaccuracies in traditional chamber techniques for measuring nitrous oxide emissions from soils. The eddy covariance method with modern laser technology provides more accurate continuous measurements, averaging out spatial and temporal variations.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 12, 2016

Engineers create a better way to boil water -- with industrial, electronics applications

Researchers at Oregon State University have created a new technology to induce and control boiling bubble formation. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency of steam boilers in large electric generating facilities. The approach uses piezoelectric inkjet printing and zinc oxide nanostructures to precisely control bub...

SourceOregon State University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 4, 2016

Method stabilizes, enhances phosphorene

Researchers at Northwestern University have stabilized exfoliated black phosphorus by covalently bonding a single-molecule-thick layer onto its surface. This enhances electronic properties and prevents degradation in open air, making it suitable for applications such as sensors, transistors, and optoelectronics.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Chemistry·DateMay 2, 2016

Generation of tailored magnetic materials

Scientists at Université de Genève successfully manipulate the magnetic properties of LaNiO3 and LaMnO3 oxides to create tailored materials. By controlling the interactions between these materials, they can now develop artificial structures with specific magnetic properties.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 15, 2016

Scientists grow a material based on hafnium oxide for a new type of non-volatile memory

Researchers have successfully grown ultra-thin ferroelectric films based on hafnium oxide, which could potentially be used to develop non-volatile memory elements. The films' ferroelectric properties are compatible with silicon technology, paving the way for the creation of new non-volatile memory devices.

SourceMoscow Institute of Physics and Technology·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateApr 13, 2016

UD researchers examine ways to break down, track synthetic compound in herbicides

Researchers at the University of Delaware have developed a method to break down glyphosate, a common commercial herbicide, using manganese oxide minerals. The study found that the mineral can degrade glyphosate and AMPA, a major byproduct, within hours, providing a potential solution to environmental concerns about these compounds.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·DateMar 24, 2016

Scratching the surface: Real-time monitoring of surface changes at the atomic level

A French research team, led by Dr. Frédéric Leroy, has created a method for real-time monitoring of surface changes at the atomic level. The approach enables them to study the kinetics of silicon dioxide decomposition onto silicon during thermal treatment, revealing a non-homogeneous process involving hole nucleation and opening.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateMar 15, 2016

Scrutinizing the tip of molecular probes

Researchers used infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry to study the interaction between probe molecules and oxide surfaces. They found that surface layers behave like glass-forming liquids, with density and dynamic behavior influencing interactions.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal Plus·DateMar 3, 2016

Air pollution linked to higher risk of preterm birth for mothers with asthma

Pregnant women with asthma may be at greater risk of preterm birth due to exposure to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants like nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. Early exposure, particularly in the months leading up to conception and during early pregnancy, was found to increase preterm birth risk by nearly 30%.

SourceNIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateMar 1, 2016

Graphene oxide 'paper' changes with strain

Rice researchers found that graphene oxide layers change their mechanical properties depending on the strain rate, making it brittle when pulled fast but more pliable under slow stress. This discovery can help build three-dimensional structures from two-dimensional materials for various applications.

SourceRice University·JournalNano Letters·DateJan 19, 2016

Super-slick material makes steel better, stronger, cleaner

Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a way to make steel stronger, safer and more durable by creating a surface coating made from rough nanoporous tungsten oxide. The new material is capable of repelling any kind of liquid even after sustaining intense structural abuse.

Electronics get a power boost with the addition of a simple material

Researchers at Penn State have discovered a way to give transistors a power boost by incorporating vanadium oxide into electronic devices. The material's metal-to-insulator transition property can enhance state-of-the-art non-volatile memories and improve the stability and energy efficiency of read, write, and maintain information states.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 19, 2015

Successful boron-doping of graphene nanoribbon

Researchers at the University of Basel have synthesized boron-doped graphene nanoribbons with controlled band gaps, enabling the development of highly sensitive gas sensors for nitrogen oxides. The material's chemical properties were characterized using atomic force microscopy, revealing high selectivity towards adsorption.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 27, 2015

Greenhouse gas source underestimated from the US Corn Belt, University of Minnesota-led study shows

A University of Minnesota-led study reveals that nitrous oxide emissions from the US Corn Belt have been significantly underestimated, with estimates off by as much as 40%. The researchers found a strong relationship between stream size and emission strength, which can be used to scale up emission estimates. This discovery has importan...

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 27, 2015

The simplistic beauty of a free radical

Korean scientists have successfully created a new class of radical compounds by reacting nitric oxide with N-heterocyclic carbenes. The resulting nitric oxide compounds show potential for targeted NO delivery, which could lead to new therapeutic applications in various human diseases.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 18, 2015