[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Unlocking the potential of borophene: A deep dive into recent discoveries
Recent experiments have shed light on the intriguing characteristics of borophene. An article on Medriva summarizes these experiments.
Creating silicon carbide qubits at the nanoscale
Researchers led by Argonne National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories leveraged conducted pioneering precision studies of qubits in silicon carbide, leading to a better understanding of quantum devices and higher performance.
ENERGY
Low-cost catalyst for green hydrogen production
Chung-Ang University researchers developed a stable, reactive, and cost-effective ruthenium oxide catalyst for sustainable hydrogen production by doping it with zinc.
Artificial plants harness energy from wind and rain
Researchers developed literal “power plants”—tiny, leaf-shaped generators that create electricity from a blowing breeze or falling raindrops—and tested the energy harvesters by incorporating them into artificial plants.
Bulky additives could make perovskite solar cells last longer
University of Michigan researchers found that bulky “defect pacifying” molecules can increase the stability and overall lifespan of perovskite solar cells.
X-rays light the way to more stable solar cell materials
Using the bright X-rays of the Advanced Photon Source and a custom-built characterization platform, scientists at Argonne National Laboratory traced the ways in which ions move within different perovskite crystals under ultraviolet radiation.
Study reveals a reaction at the heart of many renewable energy technologies
Massachusetts Institute of Technology chemists mapped out in detail how proton-coupled electron transfers happen at the surface of an electrode.
ENVIRONMENT
Capturing greenhouse gases with the help of light
ETH Zurich researchers used light-reactive molecules to influence the acidity of a liquid, allowing them to capture carbon dioxide.
China discovers new mineral in rare earth mine
The China Geological Survey of the Ministry of Natural Resources announced the discovery of a new mineral in a rare earth mine in Taiping town, Henan province. Ni Pei Stone is a cerium-containing mineral with color ranging from light red to reddish-brown. It holds the record for highest cerium content among silicate minerals discovered in nature.
MANUFACTURING
All-glass metalens images sun, moon, and nebulae
Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences developed a 10-centimeter-diameter glass metalens that can image the sun, moon, and distant nebulae with high resolution. It is the first all-glass, large-scale metalens in the visible wavelength that can be mass produced using conventional CMOS technology.
Physicists test boron carbide as wall coating for ITER reactor
Researchers at the GI Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are testing boron carbide as a coating for the walls of the International Experimental Thermonuclear Reactor (ITER) under construction in France.
OTHER STORIES
Neutrons reveal how ‘atomic rings’ help predict glass performance
Conducting neutron scattering experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Corning researchers found that understanding the stability of the rings of atoms in glass materials can help them predict the performance of glass products.
Ultrathin ceramic membrane for unprecedented imaging of chemical reactions
Northwestern University researchers used ultrathin silicon nitride membrane windows just 10 nanometers thick to provide crisp imaging and chemical analysis that previous research platforms intrinsically blurred.
Navajo pottery-inspired ceramic water filter
Researchers led by the University of Texas at Austin developed a water filtration system using locally sourced materials from members of the Navajo Nation. They lined the clay pots with pine tree resin and incorporated silver-based particles for purifying water.