[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Carbon-based quantum technology
Researchers from Empa and ETH Zurich, in collaboration with partners from Peking University, the University of Warwick, and Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, succeeded in attaching electrodes to individual atomically precise graphene nanoribbons, paving the way for precise characterization of the materials.
Making big leaps in understanding nanoscale gaps
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Warsaw created a new layered structure with 2D transition metal dichalcogenides that exhibits a unique transfer of energy and charge. Understanding its material properties may lead to advancements in optoelectronic technologies, such as solar cells.
ENERGY
To improve solar and other clean energy tech, look beyond hardware
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found that “soft technology,” the processes to design and deploy a solar energy system, contributed far less to the total cost declines of solar installations than thought. Further driving down solar energy costs will require either improving soft technology or reducing system dependencies on soft technology features.
BIOMATERIALS
Scientists develop efficient spray technique for bioactive materials
Rutgers University researchers devised a highly accurate method for creating coatings of biologically active materials for a variety of medical products. The technique, based on electrospray deposition, could pave the way for a new era of transdermal medication.
MANUFACTURING
Nanoscale material offers new way to control fire
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Iowa State University, Ames National Laboratory, and the University of British Columbia developed a technique that uses a molecule-thin protective layer to control how a flame’s heat interacts with a material—taming the fire and allowing fine tuning of the characteristics of the processed material.
All-graphene macrostructures constructed using novel layering method
Researchers from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed a laser-assisted layer-by-layer covalent growth method to prepare highly crystalline all-graphene macrostructures.
OTHER STORIES
China’s oldest water pipes were a communal effort
A system of ancient ceramic water pipes, the oldest ever unearthed in China, shows that neolithic people were capable of complex engineering feats without the need for a centralized state authority, according to a study by University College London researchers.
Scientists map 1,000 feet of hidden structures deep below the dark side of the moon
With data from China’s Chang’e-4 rover, scientists were able to visualize the upper 1,000 feet of the moon’s surface for the first time. The data suggests the top 130 feet of the lunar surface are made up of multiple layers of dust, soil, and broken rocks. Hidden within these materials was a crater, formed when a large object slammed into the moon.
Tables and figures: Why are graphics taken for granted in research writing?
Writing a scientific paper is as complex as it is gratifying. However, a concern for the figures and tables inside a paper is something that often gets lost in the shuffle of writing. Massachusetts Institute of Technology postdoc Miaomiao Zhang argues for placing more importance on graphics in scientific writing.
Nominations open for the NSF Alan T. Waterman Award
The Alan T. Waterman Award, which is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, recognizes an outstanding young researcher in any field of science or engineering. Nominations for the 2024 award will be accepted through Sept. 15, 2023, on the NSF Honorary Awards portal.