[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Showcasing precision nanocluster formation with molecular traps
Chiba University researchers successfully grew cobalt nanoclusters on flat copper surfaces using molecular arrays as traps. This breakthrough paves the way for advancements such as single-atom catalysis and spintronics miniaturization.
Snapshot of noble gas atoms emerges from within a graphene sandwich
Researchers at the Universities of Vienna, Austria, and Helsinki, Finland, captured the first direct images of clusters of room-temperature noble gas atoms by confining them in a “sandwich” made from two layers of graphene.
ENERGY
Using liquid crystals to scale-up perovskite solar cells
Using liquid crystals that can respond to temperature change and avoid accumulating precipitation, Northwestern University researchers created large-area perovskite films that are 31 square centimeters in size and exhibit 22% efficiency.
Graft polymerization leads to robust separators for thermally stable, long-lasting batteries
Incheon National University researchers used a graft polymerization technique to improve the stability and thermal properties of separators with a layer of silicon dioxide and other functional molecules.
Fast-charging lithium battery seeks to eliminate ‘range anxiety’
Cornell University researchers created a lithium battery with an indium anode that can charge in under five minutes. But indium is a heavy material, so the researchers suggest using artificial intelligence programs to identify lighter elements with similar properties.
Commercial advanced nuclear fuel arrives in Idaho for testing
For the first time in two decades, Idaho National Laboratory received a shipment of used next-generation light water reactor fuel from a commercial nuclear power plant to support research and testing. The fuel rods were developed and manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Company.
New research shows potential of hydrogen-source heat pumps
New research revealed that using hydrogen-source heat pumps to heat U.K. households could markedly reduce the carbon footprint of global energy supply chains.
ENVIRONMENT
Coal-derived graphene could replace sand in concrete
Rice University researchers found that graphene derived from metallurgical coke, a coal-based product, could serve not only as a reinforcing additive in cement but also as a replacement for sand in concrete.
Waste-based material offers stronger and environmentally friendly alternative to concrete
Ferrock is made from steel dust that is usually thrown out and silica from pulverized glass, meaning it consists of about 95% recycled materials. It is also stronger than concrete by several metrics: 13.5% for compressive strength; 20% for split tensile strength; and 18% for flexural strength, all at 28 days.
MANUFACTURING
Techniques developed to advance concrete construction in frigid environments
Engineers in the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory developed techniques that better protect concrete construction in cold environments.
AI-guided system for robotic inspection of buildings, roads, and bridges
Drexel University researchers developed a multiscale system that combines computer vision with a deep-learning algorithm to pinpoint problem areas of cracking before directing a series of laser scans of the regions to create a “digital twin” computer model that can be used to assess and monitor the damage.
Scaling up nanomaterials for sustainable manufacturing
Researchers led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed a self-assembly method to fabricate multilayered 2D nanosheets. The method overcomes the problem of stacking defects by skipping the serial stacked sheet approach altogether. Instead, blends of materials that are known to self-assemble into small particles are mixed together.
OTHER STORIES
Quantum infrared spectroscopy can achieve ultra-broadband spectroscopic measurements
Researchers led by Kyoto University developed an ultra-broadband, quantum-entangled light source that generates a relatively wider range of infrared photons with wavelengths between 2 μm and 5 μm.
Quantum material-based spintronic devices operate at ultralow power
Researchers at Soongsil University and Korea Institute of Science and Technology developed a spintronic device featuring a 2D ferromagnetic–ferroelectric material heterostructure that can read and write information at ultralow power.
Scientists turn glass into a ‘transparent’ semiconductor with laser
Researchers at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne and Tokyo Tech turned tellurite glass into a light-powered semiconductor using a femtosecond laser.
Researchers harness large language models to accelerate materials discovery
Princeton University researchers created an artificial intelligence tool to predict the behavior of crystalline materials. The new method relies on a large language model, similar to those that power text generators like ChatGPT.
Copper is king, but it is time for a metal meritocracy
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office launched a $4.8 million prize to encourage the search for materials that can out-conduct pure copper. In April 2023, seven teams were selected to move on to the third and final stage of the competition.
Concrete mix protects buildings from electronic sabotage
Researchers from American University of Sharjah and Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park developed a concrete mix that provides protection from electromagnetic pulses to safeguard vital civilian and military infrastructure.