[Image above] Credit: ACerS
NANOMATERIALS
Electrons that lag behind nuclei in 2D materials could pave way for novel electronics
Using experiments with attosecond resolution and theoretical calculations, ETH Zürich researchers showed that electrons in certain 2D materials only follow the motion of the atomic nuclei with a delay. Having this better understanding of energy and charge transport opens new possibilities for opto-electronic devices at the nanoscale.
An unexpected breakthrough in flat optics: Benefits of silica metasurfaces
Harvard University researchers found that silica, long thought to lack the right properties for optical metasurfaces, can sometimes outperform standard high-index materials such as titanium dioxide.
ENERGY
Fuel cell breakthrough: Record-setting oxide-ion conductivity at medium temperatures
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science achieved a world record for oxide-ion conductivity at medium operating temperatures using ultrathin ceramic electrolytes. The structurally oriented thin-film electrolyte made of samarium-doped cerium oxide enables efficient operation at 200–550°C.
New way to view shockwaves could boost fusion research
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers simultaneously used ultrafast X-rays and electrons to image a shockwave in water. They discovered that water provided a good analog for what happens when a laser strikes an inertial confinement fusion target.
ENVIRONMENT
Human-made materials could make up as much as half of some Scottish beaches
A detailed survey of six beaches led by a team from the University of Glasgow found that up to half of the coarse sediments on Granton Beach near Edinburgh are comprised of anthropogenic materials, such as bricks, concrete, glass, and industrial waste.
MANUFACTURING
Scientists develop corrosion-resistant alumina-forming ferritic alloys
Researchers from Jeonbuk National University and Korea Institute of Materials Science demonstrated promising alumina-forming ferritic alloys that exhibit high-temperature oxidation resistance even under prolonged steam exposure.
OTHER STORIES
New crystalline material demonstrates unusual magnetic patterns
Florida State University researchers created a new crystalline material with unusual magnetic patterns that could be used for breakthroughs in data storage and quantum technologies. The compound consisted of manganese, cobalt, germanium, and arsenic, and it exhibited distinctive cycloidal spin textures known as skyrmion-like spin textures.
Flipping the switch on material chirality: Modifying chirality with electricity
Researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo demonstrated a way to electrically modify the chirality of organic–inorganic hybrid materials by using an electric double-layer transistor.
New tool narrows the search for ideal MOF structures
Princeton University researchers developed a machine learning-based tool to speed the discovery of metal–organic frameworks. To develop the tool, they turned physical and chemical characteristics related to the free energy of the individual atoms and units of a MOF into a machine-readable representation.
Archaeologists unearth ancient clay puppets with open mouths and detachable heads
University of Warsaw archaeologists discovered five carved clay figurines at an archaeological site in El Salvador. The 2,400-year-old figures have open mouths, detachable heads, and small holes in their necks and craniums. These holes allow for “a string to be passed through the neck and tied on the top of the head,” like a puppet, according to the researchers.