[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
New flexible, transparent, wearable biopatch improves cellular observation, drug delivery
Purdue University researchers developed a flexible and translucent base for silicon nanoneedle patches to deliver exact doses of biomolecules directly into cells and expand observational opportunities.
ENERGY
New records in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells
Using microstructured layers, a Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin team increased the efficiency of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, achieving 25.5 percent, which is the highest published value to date.
Ultra-thin transparent silver films for solar cells
Researchers developed a new fabrication process for transparent ultra-thin silver films. They demonstrated that their chemical silver precursor can apply a silver thin film to an electrode by atomic layer deposition. The material may help build highly efficient solar cells.
BIOMATERIALS
“Bionic Mushrooms” fuse nanotech, bacteria, and fungi
Researchers took a white button mushroom and supercharged it with 3-D printed clusters of cyanobacteria that generate electricity and swirls of graphene nanoribbons that collect the current. The hybrids are part of an effort to improve understanding of cells biological machinery.
MANUFACTURING
AI capable of outlining in a single chart information from thousands of scientific papers
NIMS and the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago jointly developed a Computer-Aided Material Design system capable of extracting information related to fabrication processes and material structures and properties and organizing and visualizing the relationship between them.
Solution in fight against fake graphene
A National University of Singapore research team developed a way to test graphene quality to combat lack of quality control in the graphene market. Samples from over 60 different providers contained less than 10 percent of what can be considered graphene flakes.
OTHER STORIES
Historic vote ties kilogram and other units to natural constants
A convocation of delegates representing 60 countries voted November 16 to implement the most significant change to the International System of Units in more than 130 years. For the first time, all measurement units will be defined by natural phenomena rather than by physical artifacts.
Research raises awareness of indoor air quality risk from 3-D printers
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology found that 3-D printers release more than 200 different volatile organic compounds, many of which are known or suspected irritants and carcinogens. Several factors, including temperature of the filament, affected emissions.
Scientists shed light on semiconductor degradation mechanism
Scientists at Nagoya Institute of Technology (NITech) gained new insights into the mechanisms behind degradation of silicon carbide, a semiconductor material used in electronic devices. Their observations offer potential ways to prevent performance degradation.
Epoxy compound gets a graphene bump
Researchers combined epoxy with “ultrastiff” graphene foam to build a resilient composite that is tougher and as conductive as other compounds but as light as pure epoxy. It could improve upon current epoxies that weaken a material’s structure with the addition of conductive fillers.
Scientists engineer a functional optical lens out of 2-D materials
Researchers constructed functional metalenses that are one-tenth to one-half the thickness of the wavelengths of light they focus. The metalenses, constructed of layered 2-D materials, were as thin as 190 nanometers and could be easily transferred on any substrate.
3-D printed ceramic parts made from lunar regolith
The European Space Agency 3-D printed ceramic parts using simulated lunar regolith as part of an investigation into how 3-D printing could help support a lunar base. Raw regolith is made of various different oxide types, chiefly silicon oxide.