[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Physicists record “lifetime” of graphene qubits
Researchers recorded “temporal coherence” of a graphene quit, or how long it can maintain a special state allowing it to represent two logical states simultaneously. To fabricate their qubit, they sandwiched a sheet of graphene between two layers of hexagonal boron nitride.
Researchers discover multilayer band gap using their own technology
Researchers at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology used their ‘time-resolved second harmonic generation imaging system’ to prove existence of upper band gap of atomic rhenium disulfide layers. Until now, ionization energy area of 2D atomic structures was only theoretically predicted.
Awareness of nanotechnology used in materials low among California construction workers
Researchers found only 25 percent of unionized construction workers knew about use of nanotechnology/nanoparticles in construction materials, while nearly 20 percent said they never heard those terms. When presented a list of “nano-enabled construction products,” 44 percent said they had worked with some of the products or recognized some names.
ENVIRONMENT
“Flipped” metal oxide cage can sort CO2 from CO
Researchers from Kanazawa University used a hollow, spherical cluster of vanadate molecules to discriminate between CO and CO2. The team used empty V12 for the cluster, and the empty V12 absorbed CO2 but rejected CO. The finding offers a way to separate for CO2 capture.
Enhancing the stability and rechargeability of sodium–oxygen batteries
Researchers at IBM Research designed a reinforced glass microfiber membrane as a separator for sodium–oxygen batteries. They fabricated membranes by infusing either sodium-ion conductive ceramic or non-conductive ceramic particles into a thin layer of glass microfiber framework.
MANUFACTURING
Rolls-Royce leading challenge to build world’s fastest all-electric aircraft
Rolls-Royce announced plans to fly an in-development electric airplane over Great Britain in 2020, reaching a top speed of at least 480 km/h (300 mph). The craft will feature three high-power-density electric motors designed to produce more than 500 horsepower, and its all-electric powertrain will reportedly deliver 90 percent energy efficiency.
Self-cleaning spacesuits could shield astronauts visiting dusty worlds
Engineers at Boeing are designing self-cleaning spacesuits made of flexible carbon nanotube fibers, energized by an electric field. So far, the team successfully tested a pressurized knee joint section of a spacesuit using dust condition simulations.
OTHER STORIES
New nanosatellite system captures better imagery at lower cost
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev demonstrated that nanosatellites the size of milk cartons arranged in a spherical configuration captured images that match resolution of full-frame, lens-based or concave mirror systems used on today’s telescopes.
Revealing hidden spin: Unlocking new paths toward high-temperature superconductors
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory used a spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy detector to uncover a distinct pattern of electron spins within bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide, a high-temperature cuprate superconductor.
Using big databases to find superconductors of the future
Japanese researchers showed that sifting through an inorganic materials database using specific search parameters can provide a more systematic way to finding superconducting materials. A previous study identified SnBi2Se4, and the latest study used additional parameters based on this material’s crystal structure to identify PbBi2Te4.