[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
A tiny spot leads to a large advancement in nanoprocessing
Focusing a tailored laser beam through transparent glass can create a tiny spot inside the material. Tohoku University researchers reported on a way to use this small spot to boost resolution in laser material processing.
ENERGY
Green light on continuous fusion plasma operations technology
The Korean artificial sun, KSTAR, broke its previous plasma operation record during its first plasma campaign after upgrading its divertors (plasma-facing components) to tungsten monoblocks. The device successfully sustained the plasma with ion temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius for 48 seconds.
Innovative blade roughness estimation method advances wind energy
Researchers at Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group, a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric, developed a novel approach to estimating the impact of leading-edge roughness on wind turbine blades in high precipitation environments both offshore and onshore.
Temperature extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy
Researchers led by Washington State University found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar panels and wind turbines.
ENVIRONMENT
Solar control and sustainability in hot climates with ceramic textiles
Flexbrick created a new system that unites ceramic blocks and metal trusses. The system is easily transported and installed, at which point it mitigates the impact of solar radiation and thus helps improve thermal insulation.
Paving new paths for sustainable construction
Researchers in the Center for Sustainable Technologies at the Indian Institute of Science are exploring ways to store carbon dioxide from industrial flue gas in excavated soil and construction and demolition waste.
Biofilm-resistant glass for marine environments
Researchers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst created ultraviolet rays-emitting glass that can reduce 98% of biofilm from growing on surfaces in underwater environments. The key to this innovation is a silica nanoparticle coating on the glass.
MANUFACTURING
A first-ever complete map for elastic strain engineering
Using a combination of first principles calculations and machine learning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers developed the first-ever map of how to tune crystalline materials to produce specific thermal and electronic properties.
Semiconductors at scale: New processor achieves remarkable speedup in problem solving
Tokyo University of Science researchers created a scalable annealing processor. This technology enables the construction of large-scale fully coupled semiconductor systems following the Ising model with 4096 spins.
Quantum interference could lead to smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient transistors
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London, the University of Oxford, Lancaster University, and the University of Waterloo developed a new single-molecule transistor that uses quantum interference to control the flow of electrons. The transistor opens new possibilities for using quantum effects in electronic devices.
OTHER STORIES
ASU scientists investigate potential superconductor
Researchers from Arizona State University, including ACerS Distinguished Life Member Alexandra Navrotsky, examined the physical properties and fundamental thermodynamics of nitrogen doped lutetium hydride, which was recently reported to exhibit superconductivity at high pressures and room temperature.
Thermal management of electronic devices made simpler and slightly better
Korea Institute of Materials Science researchers developed a heat dissipation material that reduces hydrophilicity through a chemical reaction. The reaction, which occurs during a simple sintering process, forms a nanocrystalline composite layer that increases thermal conductivity by controlling point defects.
Team discovers fundamentally new way to detect radiation using cheap ceramics
Researchers led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that opto-ionic effects in metal oxides can be used to detect gamma radiation. This discovery extends their previous work on the grain boundary opto-ionic effect observed in solid electrolyte thin films under ultraviolet irradiation.
New method for calculating mechanical properties of solids using machine learning
Researchers from Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology developed a new method, which takes advantage of machine learning, for studying the properties of polycrystals, composites, and multiphase systems.
Automated calculation of surface properties in crystals
Researchers at the University of Oldenburg developed a high-throughput automated method to calculate the surface properties of crystalline materials starting directly at the level of established laws of physics. So far similar methods have focused on bulk materials rather than surfaces.
Mechanical transistors enable environmentally adaptive and electricity-free computing
Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University introduce a novel mechanical transistor that combines a temperature-responsive material and a switchable structure. This innovative design enables the construction of complex logic circuits and memory storage, all without the need for electricity.