[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Researchers boost signal amplification in perovskite nanosheets
Researchers led by Pusan National University enhanced signal amplification in CsPbBr3 perovskite nanosheets with a unique waveguide pattern, which enhanced both gain and thermal stability.
Generation of lossy mode resonances using perovskite nanofilms
Researchers used perovskite nanofilms to create lossy mode resonance devices, which can detect slight changes in the environment, such as changes in temperature, pressure, or the composition of a liquid.
Bonding nanoparticles to rubber increases material’s fatigue resistance sixfold
Harvard University researchers found that bonding silica nanoparticles to long-chain, highly entangled poly(ethyl acrylate) polymers increased the rubber’s fatigue resistance. In a traditional filled rubber, the nanoparticles do not strongly bond to the polymer chains.
ENERGY
Boosting solar cell performance with a transparent spectral converter
Researchers developed a novel solar spectral converter using a GdPO4 glass-ceramic material doped with praseodymium and europium ions. This technology could lead to notable boosts in performance and applicability in solar cells.
Sodium-ion batteries for future of sustainable energy storage
Researchers led by Dongguk University reviewed the recent advances in sodium-ion battery technology. While most studies until now have only focused on half-cell configurations, this study considered full-cell configurations as well.
Solid-state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles
Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences developed a lithium metal battery that can be charged/discharged at least 6,000 times—more than any other pouch battery cell—and can be recharged in a matter of minutes.
BIOMATERIALS
Size and shape of inhaled nanofibers could cause development of pulmonary fibrosis
The pathogenic potential of inhaling inert fibrous nanomaterials used in thermal insulation, such as asbestos or fiberglass, is connected not to their chemical composition but to their geometrical characteristics and size, according to a French-Chinese team.
ENVIRONMENT
Engineers develop an efficient process to make fuel from carbon dioxide
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University developed an efficient process that can convert carbon dioxide into formate, a liquid or solid material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell and generate electricity.
Researchers aim to convert greenhouse gas into valuable products with electricity
Case Western Reserve University researchers demonstrated that the ionic liquids they developed effectively capture and convert carbon dioxide in an electrochemical process.
MANUFACTURING
Collaborative review unveils potential of graphene in nitride semiconductor technology
Researchers from Soochow University, Beijing Graphene Institute, and Xiamen Silan Advanced Compound Semiconductor Co., Ltd. wrote an overview of the progress and potential applications of graphene as a buffer layer for nitride epitaxial growth.
Researchers create first functional semiconductor made from graphene
Researchers at Tianjin University and Georgia Institute of Technology created a functional semiconductor out of graphene. Their measurements show that the graphene semiconductor has 10 times greater mobility than silicon.
Researchers 3D print components for a portable mass spectrometer
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers used additive manufacturing to create a miniaturized mass filter, which is a key step toward portable mass spectrometers. The filter is made of durable and heat-resistant glass-ceramic resin.
OTHER STORIES
Novel memristor design clears critical impediments for future AI chips
Lund University researchers built a memristor based on ferroelectric hafnium oxide that provides strong nonlinear current-voltage characteristics combined with ultralow conductance operation.
Unraveling the impact of edge cracks on superconducting REBCO tapes
A recent study delves into the intricate relationship between mechanical stress and the superconducting capabilities of rare earth barium copper oxide tapes, which are used in various high-tech fields.
Computational method discovers hundreds of new ceramics for extreme environments
Researchers led by Duke University developed a new computational method called disordered enthalpy–entropy descriptor. In its first demonstration, the program predicted the synthesizability of 900 new formulations of high-performance materials, 17 of which were then tested and successfully produced in laboratories.
Researchers rely on Earth’s magnetic field to verify event mentioned in the Old Testament
Researchers from four Israeli universities measured the magnetic field recorded in burnt bricks to estimate their firing temperatures. This information allowed them to corroborate an event described in the Second Book of Kings: the destruction of the city Gath.
Even far below freezing, ice’s surface begins melting as temperatures rise
Using imaging tools at Argonne National Laboratory, researchers detected a phenomenon known as premelting at temperatures far lower than those previously observed. The study raises intriguing questions that could be explored in future work.