[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Path to nanodiamond from graphene found
Rice University researchers suggest a pinpoint of pressure on few-layer graphene can nucleate a surface chemical reaction with hydrogen or fluorine. From there, the diamondlike lattice should propagate throughout the material as hydrogen or fluorine atoms alight on top and bottom and covalently bind to surfaces, prompting carbon-carbon connections between layers.
Tailoring nanocomposite interfaces with graphene to achieve high strength, toughness
University of Virginia researchers demonstrated graphene-wrapped boron carbide nanowires reinforced epoxy composites and showed simultaneous enhancement in strength, elastic modulus, and ductility.
Tailoring 2D materials to improve electronic and optical devices
Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University recently published the results of two separate but related discoveries regarding their success with altering 2D materials either atomically or physically to enhance light emission and increase signal strength.
ENERGY
Photovoltaics industry can help meet Paris agreement targets
In a recent paper, researchers describe a model they developed to predict what is necessary for the solar industry to meet Paris Agreement targets. They say that in terms of material sustainability, the only major issue is reducing the use of silver in silicon solar cells from about 29 tons per gigawatt to less than 5 tons per gigawatt.
Promising strategies for durable perovskite solar cells
Researchers at Soochow University examined the mechanisms at play in perovskite materials to clarify the factors influencing degradation and offer some feasible approaches for durable perovskite photovoltaics.
‘Transparent solar cells’ can take us toward a new era of personalized energy
Researchers from Incheon National University came up with an innovative design for a metal-oxide-based transparent photovoltaic device by inserting an ultrathin layer of silicon between zinc oxide and nickel oxide.
BIOMATERIALS
Better ‘artificial bone’ coating to make implants safer and more effective
Researchers at Korea Institute of Science and Technology Center for Biomaterials developed a method to simultaneously synthesize and coat hydroxyapatite onto implants in a single-step process that takes just one hour.
ENVIRONMENT
Tracing the source of illicit sand—can it be done?
Researchers plan to start a proof-of-concept test on U.S. sand, where the sources and processing locations are well known, to see if they can trace back the source of the sand. If they can successfully identify the catchment where the sand was sourced, they can move their methods to other global regions.
Building cities with wood would store half of cement industry’s current carbon emissions
Researchers at Aalto University and the Finnish Environment Institute showed that if 80% of new residential buildings in Europe were made of wood, and wood were used in the structures, cladding, surfaces, and furnishings of houses, the buildings would store 55 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, or about 47% of annual emissions of Europe’s cement industry.
OTHER STORIES
Online opportunity: European School on Ceramics for Energy Conversion and Storage
The European School on Ceramics for Energy Conversion and Storage, supported by the JECS Trust, aims at presenting a current overview of ceramic materials and technologies for selected energy applications. A topical focus is put on electrochemical applications based on ionic transport. Registration deadline is Nov. 13, 2020, and the school takes place Nov. 25–27.
Physicists circumvent centuries-old theory to cancel magnetic fields
An international collaboration found a way to circumvent “Earnshaw’s Theorem,” a 178-year old theory that limits the ability to shape magnetic fields. By circumventing this theory, they can effectively cancel magnetic fields at a distance.
Research lays groundwork for ultrathin, energy efficient photodetector on glass
Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University fused a coating of molybdenum disulfide onto Gorilla glass and then turned the material into a photodetector by patterning it using a conventional electron beam lithography tool.
The secret life of ferroic domain walls
In a recent review article, University of Cambridge researchers discuss the exotic polarization profiles that can arise at domain walls and the different mechanisms that lead to domain-wall polarity in nonpolar ferroelastic materials.
A 40-year-old catalyst unveils its secrets
Researchers from ETH Zurich, University of Cologne, Fritz Haber Institute, and BASF investigated the mechanism behind the catalyst titanium silicalite-1 and concluded that the titanium atoms are not isolated; rather, the catalytically active center consists of a titanium pair.