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New process for making MXenes via vapor-phase synthesis could expand technological applications

Researchers at Drexel University have developed a new process for making MXenes via vapor-phase synthesis, which could enable their use in energy, electronic, and quantum technologies. The new method bypasses traditional chemical etching steps and uses abundant precursors, resulting in lower-cost and higher-quality MXene materials.

SourceDrexel University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 17, 2026

Low temperature graphene growth opens a route to sustainable resource recycling

Researchers from Tohoku University and Queen Mary University of London have developed a low-temperature method for graphene production, utilizing acetylene gas and cerium oxide. This breakthrough enables precise control over the material's final form and paves the way for sustainable resource recycling.

SourceAdvanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateAug 30, 2026

Diamond owl swoops in with new method to keep electronics cool

Researchers at Rice University have developed a new method to grow patterned diamond surfaces that can decrease operating temperatures in electronics. This approach uses microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition to create ordered layers of diamond crystals on substrates, allowing for controlled seed placement and scalable growth.

SourceRice University·JournalApplied Physics Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 23, 2026

Overcoming stacking constraints in hexagonal boron nitride via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Scientists at POSTECH and University of Montpellier successfully synthesized wafer-scale hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with an AA-stacking configuration using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). This achievement introduces a novel route for precise stacking control in van der Waals materials.

Better digital memories with the help of noble gases

Researchers at Linköping University have developed a new technology that adds xenon to digital memories, allowing for even material coating in small cavities. This breakthrough enables more information storage in the same physical size, with 4 terabytes possible in a memory card once holding only 64 megabytes.

SourceLinköping University·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 30, 2025

Control of temperature dependent viscosity for manufacturing of Bi-doped active fiber

Researchers developed a novel temperature-dependent viscosity mediated strategy to control Bi dopant deactivation during fiber drawing. A borate glass system with faster viscosity changing rate was created, resulting in the first demonstration of on-off gain in a Bi-doped borate fiber system.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateApr 16, 2024

Smart optimization paves the way for improved silicon solar cell performance

A team of researchers from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed an innovative Bayesian optimization scheme to optimize the performance of silicon heterojunction solar cells. The approach, known as constrained BO, combines three prediction models to determine optimal deposition conditions for catalytic chemic...

SourceJapan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateMar 5, 2024

‘Magic’ solvent creates stronger thin films

A new technique uses reactive vapors to create thin films with enhanced properties, such as mechanical strength, kinetics, and morphology. The synthesis process is gentler on the environment than traditional methods and could lead to improved polymer coatings for microelectronics, advanced batteries, and therapeutics.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Synthesis·DateFeb 14, 2023

Rice lab improves recipe for valuable chemical

The Rice University lab has improved the recipe for synthesizing molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a highly sought-after material for its semiconducting properties. By using iodized salt, the team was able to speed up the synthesis process while reducing growth temperatures.

SourceRice University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 18, 2022

Record-breaking, ultrafast devices step to protecting the grid from EMPs

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a tiny device that can shunt excess electricity in a few billionths of a second, protecting the nation's electric grid from electromagnetic pulses. The diode operates at a record-breaking 6,400 volts and has potential to operate up to 20,000 volts.

SourceDOE/Sandia National Laboratories·JournalIEEE Transactions on Electron Devices·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 15, 2022

Skoltech scientists run a 'speed test' to boost production of carbon nanotubes

Researchers at Skoltech have discovered a way to increase the productivity of carbon nanotube synthesis by adjusting catalyst injection rates, leading to a 9-fold increase in yield while preserving key properties. This breakthrough has the potential to pave the way for cheaper and more accessible nanotube-based technology.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalChemical Engineering Journal·DateDec 1, 2020

Examining vaping particle size and deposition

Researchers analyzed vaping particle size and deposition patterns in human airways, finding that larger particles are produced by higher device power settings and vegetable glycerin-based e-liquids. The study suggests similar human airway deposition patterns compared to regular smoking, despite smaller and less abundant particles.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical Research in Toxicology·DateJan 8, 2020

A big leap toward tinier lines

A team of researchers at MIT and University of Chicago has developed a self-assembly technique to produce narrow wires on microchips, breaking through fundamental limits in manufacturing processes. The new method uses block copolymers and could be scaled up for mass manufacturing with standard equipment.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateMar 27, 2017