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Solving quantum mysteries: New insights into 2D semiconductor physics

Researchers from Monash University have introduced a new theoretical study on quantum impurities, exploring their behavior in two-dimensional semiconductors. The 'quantum virial expansion' method sheds light on the complex interactions between impurities and their surroundings in 2D materials.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 15, 2023

Rivers contain hidden sinks and sources of microplastics

Researchers found an average of 41 microplastic particles per square meter per day settled from the atmosphere, while sediment samples contained denser particles with higher population densities. The study suggests clothing is likely the prominent source of microplastics to the Ganges River system.

SourceUniversity of Plymouth·JournalScience of The Total Environment·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 25, 2023

Lehigh University researchers make sand that flows uphill

Lehigh University researchers have discovered that applying magnetic forces to individual 'microroller' particles can spur collective motion, allowing the grains to flow uphill, up walls, and climb stairs. This counterintuitive phenomenon has potential applications in mixing, segregating materials, and microrobotics.

SourceLehigh University·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 20, 2023

Solving stickiness sustainably

A team of chemists at Purdue University has created a sustainable adhesive system that uses epoxidized soy oil, malic acid, and tannic acid. The new adhesive is inexpensive, effective, scalable, practical to produce and completely sustainable.

SourcePurdue University·JournalNature·DateSep 13, 2023

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology researchers reveal the effect of AIN surface pits on GaN remote epitaxy

GIST researchers found that nano-sized pits on AlN surfaces cause graphene degradation at higher temperatures, leading to GaN film exfoliation failure. The study's results demonstrate the importance of substrate chemical and topographic properties for successful remote epitaxy.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalACS Nano·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 12, 2023

New epoxy resin resists flames and reduces waste

Researchers from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a fully recyclable, flame-retardant epoxy resin-based plastic. The new material retains excellent thermomechanical properties while being reshaped like a thermoplast due to the addition of a special phosphonate ester molecule.

SourceSwiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA)·JournalChemical Engineering Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 22, 2023

Polyurethane widely used in Daily Life: Eco-Friendly Synthesis Boosts Utilization!

Researchers developed an eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane using biomass-based polyester polyols and butane diols, boasting exceptional properties. The resulting material exhibits a remarkable biocarbon content of up to 97% and comparable mechanical properties to petroleum-based alternatives.

SourceDGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalJournal of Applied Polymer Science·DateAug 9, 2023

New robot boosts solar energy research

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new robot called RoboMapper that can conduct experiments more efficiently and sustainably to develop new semiconductor materials. The robot automates the process of testing multiple samples simultaneously, reducing time and energy consumption by nearly 10 times.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalMatter·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 25, 2023

A non-covalent bonding experience

Researchers from the University of Iowa and Brookhaven National Laboratory create 14 organic-inorganic hybrid materials, including seven entirely new ones, to advance clean energy and safe nuclear energy. The study reveals new bonding mechanisms and insights into material separations and recycling.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalAngewandte Chemie·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 19, 2023

Much ado about nothing: Insights into designing advanced stimuli-responsive materials

Researchers from Japan have solved a long-standing puzzle of porous soft materials, revealing the importance of elastic heterogeneity in tuning molecular adsorption/desorption properties. The study provides physicochemical insight into the origin of elastic heterogeneity within MOFs, with applications to imparting targeted properties.

SourceInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 19, 2023

Researchers put a new twist on graphite

A team of researchers at the University of Washington has discovered a way to imbue bulk graphite with physical properties similar to those of graphene, a single-layer sheet. This breakthrough could unlock new approaches for studying unusual and exotic states of matter and bring them into everyday life.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 19, 2023

Formamide: a versatile small molecular building block for synthesizing heavily N-doped 1D & 2D carbon

Researchers propose a novel route for constructing 1D/2D carbon nanostructures with tunable aspect ratios and high nitrogen content, employing small molecule-formamide. The approach leads to the formation of polyaminoimidazole (PAI) and exhibits an extremely high N content exceeding 40 atomic percent.

SourceKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.·JournalAdvanced Powder Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 17, 2023

New material could hold key to reducing energy consumption in computers and electronics

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have created a thin film of a unique semimetal material that can generate more computing power and memory storage while using significantly less energy. The study, published in Nature Communications, has important findings about the physics behind its unique properties.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 13, 2023

Wonderful and weird

Ferroelectric materials like hafnia show promise for non-volatile random-access memory (RAM) due to their stability at high temperatures. Hafnia's unique properties, including the movement of oxygen vacancies, make it an attractive candidate for memristors that mimic brain-like computer architectures.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalNature Materials·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 20, 2023

Pusan National University researchers develop high-adsorption phosphates for radionuclide cesium ion capture

Researchers at Pusan National University have developed high-adsorption phosphates that can efficiently capture radionuclide cesium ions. These phosphates outperform standard adsorbents with record-high adsorption capacities, making them promising candidates for radioactive waste disposal.

SourcePusan National University·JournalJournal of Hazardous Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 4, 2023

Want to make better materials? Read between the lines. Or the “grain boundaries,” as they’re known in materials science.

A team of scientists created a mathematical model that accurately describes microstructures by integrating data from highly magnified images taken during experiments. The findings provide insight into how microstructures change at high temperatures and have implications for the development of new materials.

SourceLehigh University·Journalnpj Computational Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 21, 2023

Creation of thinnest freestanding film with ferroelectric properties ever opens the door to smaller, more efficient devices

Researchers at Nagoya University have successfully synthesized barium titanate nanosheets with a thickness of 1.8 nanometers, the thinnest freestanding film ever created with ferroelectric properties. This achievement paves the way for the development of smaller and more efficient devices such as memories and capacitors.

SourceNagoya University·JournalAdvanced Electronic Materials·DateApr 20, 2023

Fluorescent aromatic nanobelts with unique size-dependent properties

Researchers at Nagoya University have synthesized methylene-bridged [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]MCPPs) with varying ring sizes, exhibiting unique properties such as fluorescence and paratropic belt currents. The discovery has significant implications for studying magnetic properties of aromatic nanobelts.

SourceInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 19, 2023

New study reveals design clues for silver-based superatomic molecules

Researchers from Japan have synthesized two di-superatomic molecules composed of Ag and evaluated the factors involved in their formation. The study found that a twist between the two icosahedral structures stabilizes the nanocluster by shortening the distance between them. Additionally, the presence of Pd and Pt central atoms was foun...

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalCommunications Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 6, 2023

Probe where the protons go to develop better fuel cells

A team led by Professor Yoshihiro Yamazaki from Kyushu University discovered the chemical innerworkings of a perovskite-based electrolyte developed for solid oxide fuel cells. By combining synchrotron radiation analysis, large-scale simulations, machine learning, and thermogravimetric analysis, they found that protons are introduced at...

SourceKyushu University·JournalChemistry of Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 28, 2023

Observations open door to improved luminous efficiency of organic LEDs

A research team at Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a technique to directly observe changes in the electronic state of light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) during electroluminescence. This breakthrough enables improvements in luminous efficiency, paving the way for more efficient and reliable OLEDs and LECs.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 14, 2023

Some stirring required: fluid mixing enables scalable manufacturing of soft polymer structures

The new technique allows for the production of a dozen different soft polymer material morphologies, including ribbons, nanoscale sheets, rods, and branched particles. By precisely controlling three sets of parameters during manufacturing, researchers can fine-tune the morphology of polymeric materials at the micro- and nano-scale.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 10, 2023

Study offers details on using electric fields to tune thermal properties of ferroelectric materials

Scientists from NC State University have discovered a way to manipulate the flow of heat through ferroelectric materials by applying different electric fields. The study, published in Advanced Materials, found that varying electric field strengths, types (AC/DC), time, and frequency can alter the thermal properties of these materials.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 22, 2023

Engineered wood grows stronger while trapping carbon dioxide

Rice University scientists have developed a method to engineer wood that traps carbon dioxide while increasing its strength. This process involves removing lignin and hemicellulose from the wood and replacing them with metal-organic framework particles, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional materials.

SourceRice University·JournalCell Reports Physical Science·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 16, 2023