[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Scientists discover surprising applications of nanodiamonds
San Jose State University researchers are working to attach different chemical groups to the surface of nanodiamonds. Earlier this year, they developed a stable chemical reaction to attach nitrogen-containing chemical groups called amines to the surface by first chemically coaxing bromine atoms onto the surface.
Powerful family of 2D materials discovered
Tulane University researchers developed a new family of 2D materials called transition metal carbo-chalcogenides, which combines the characteristics of transition metal carbides and transition metal dichalcogenides.
Metalens could disrupt vacuum UV market
By precisely etching hundreds of tiny triangles on the surface of a microscopic film of zinc oxide, Rice University photonics researchers created a metalens that transforms incoming long-wave ultraviolet light into a focused output of vacuum UV radiation. Vacuum UV is used in semiconductor manufacturing and historically has been costly to work with.
Japan launches a $8.5 million project to study 2.5D materials
Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology launched a collaborative project to develop 2.5D materials. The project includes 40 researchers in Japan, led by professor Ago Hiroki at Kyushu University.
ENERGY
Researchers now able to predict battery lifetimes with machine learning
Argonne National Laboratory researchers used machine learning algorithms to predict how long a lithium-ion battery will last. Conventionally, the only way to evaluate how the capacity in a battery fades is to actually cycle the battery.
Researchers uncover the key to safer energy storage devices
Researchers from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology investigated the thermal properties of electric double-layer capacitors during charging and discharging. They found the positive and negative electrodes’ temperatures changed by 0.92% and 0.42% during charging, which corresponded to 9.14% and 3.91% reductions in respective heat capacity.
Researchers advance renewable hydrogen production method
National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers analyzed an emerging water-splitting technology called solar thermochemical hydrogen production and found perovskite materials may hold the potential to play an important role in this process.
OTHER STORIES
Seashell-inspired shield protects materials in hostile environments
Sandia National Laboratories researchers developed an ecological protective coating, stronger yet less expensive than potentially dangerous beryllium shielding, by baking alternating layers of sugar and silica.
‘Polaroids’ help scientists detect hazardous ice on airplane plating
Researchers from Skoltech, MIPT, Russia’s State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, the University of North Texas, and York University simplified and automated the lab procedure used to test anti-icing fluids that ensure safe aircraft takeoff.
3D printing the perfect piece of chocolate
University of Amsterdam researchers used chocolate to explore how molecular-scale structures of edible materials affect their “mouthfeel.” They found that the more cracks, the better experience. Participants in the study also reported that the sound the chocolate metamaterials make when bitten into has an affect on the mouthfeel experience.
Open access in Japan: Tapping the stone bridge
On April 1, the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the nation’s second-largest public-sector research funder, unveiled its revised open access policy and implementation guidelines. The new policy introduces an embargo period, the first time such a thing was included in JST policy.