[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Experiments explore the mysteries of ‘magic’ angle superconductors
Princeton University researchers provided firm evidence that the superconducting behavior in magic-angle twisted graphene arises from strong interactions between electrons. The researchers say while these experiments open the door to further study, more work needs to be done to understand in detail the type of entanglement that is occurring.
Physicists make graphene discovery that could help develop superconductors
A Rutgers-led team discovered that in the presence of a moiré pattern in graphene, electrons organize themselves into stripes, like soldiers in formation. This is because the moiré pattern slows down the electrons that conduct electricity in graphene and zip past each other at great speeds.
Synthesizing single-crystalline hexagonal graphene quantum dots
Researchers at The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology designed a novel strategy for synthesizing single-crystalline graphene quantum dots, which emit stable blue light, by mixing amine and acetic acid with an aqueous solution of glucose and then synthesizing dots from the self-assembly of the reaction intermediate.
ENERGY
Treating solar cell materials reveals formation of unexpected microstructures
In a recent Applied Physics Reviews article, researchers discovered when hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite crystals are treated with benzylamine, the benzylamine enters into the surface of the crystal to create a new 2D material on the surface of the 3D crystal, thus passivating the crystal’s surface.
Improving efficiency, brightness of perovskite LEDs
By layering perovskite crystal and amorphous zinc silicon oxide, researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology and Nihon University developed a way to confine excitons and inject the electrons into the 3D perovskite layers efficiently.
ENVIRONMENT
Breaking down marine plastic pollution
A University of Adelaide-led research team developed a technique to break down microplastics in water using tiny coil-shaped carbon-based magnets. The carbon nanotube catalysts removed a significant fraction of microplastics in just eight hours while remaining stable themselves in the harsh oxidative conditions needed for microplastics breakdown.
Promising new solar-powered path to hydrogen fuel production
Engineers at Lehigh University used a single enzyme biomineralization process to synthesize both quantum confined nanoparticle metal sulfide particles and the supporting reduced graphene oxide material to create a photocatalyst that uses the energy of captured sunlight to split water molecules to produce hydrogen.
MANUFACTURING
Grady Eye cases inspire look at safety of sideview mirrors
After three patients came to Grady Memorial Hospital in Georgia with similar eye injuries caused by shattering sideview mirror glass, a Grady eye surgeon wrote a research paper suggesting that sideview mirror glass be made as shatterproof as windshield glass.
OTHER STORIES
A wearable device so thin and soft you won’t even notice it
Researchers reported the discovery of a multifunctional ultra-thin wearable electronic device that moves naturally and is less noticeable than wearing a Band-Aid. The device, a metal oxide semiconductor on a polymer base, offers manufacturing advantages and can be processed at temperatures lower than 300°C.
A new lens for life-searching space telescopes
University of Arizona researchers designed a new kind of telescope that is cheaper and more powerful than telescopes using ever-larger mirrors. Each unit contains a meticulously crafted 8.5-meter diameter lens. When combined, the telescope array will be powerful enough to characterize 1,000 extrasolar planets from as far away as 1,000 light years.
Forecasting failure in disordered materials
Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of California Los Angeles were able to forecast likely points of failure in 2D disordered laser-cut lattices without needing to study detailed states of the material.