[Image above] Credit: ACerS
NANOMATERIALS
New technique spots hidden defects to boost reliability of ultrathin electronics
Rice University researchers showed that hard-to-spot defects in 2D hexagonal boron nitride can trap electrical charges and locally weaken the material, making it more likely to fail at lower voltages. They developed a practical way to spot these devices by combining electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence mapping, and force-based measurements.
ENERGY
A manual for efficient wave energy converter prototyping
Researchers from University of Michigan Engineering, Cornell University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Princeton University established the first standardized methodology for prototyping small-scale wave energy converters, providing a blueprint for the next generation of offshore renewable energy research.
New insights into iridium oxide could improve green hydrogen production
Researchers led by Imperial College London observed an iridium oxide catalyst in real time under working conditions, revealing what happens at its surface as oxygen is formed. By identifying which chemical states are truly responsible for driving the process, the research lays the groundwork for designing more efficient and longer-lasting catalytic materials.
New microscale technique can make nuclear fuel safer and more reliable
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory created a new way to measure the thermal conductivity of a single component in a complex nuclear fuel system, which gives us a better understanding of how nuclear fuel behaves.
New crystal seeding method boosts perovskite solar cell efficiency to 23%
Researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced a crystal-solvate pre-seeding technique that allows precise control over the critical bottom interface in inverted perovskite solar cells. A large mini-module achieved 23.15% efficiency with minimal scaling losses.
MANUFACTURING
Light-based method to control crystal formation
By adding light-sensitive molecules to a liquid filled with tiny particles, New York University researchers could adjust how strongly the particles attract or repel one another simply by changing the light’s intensity or pattern. This ability allowed them to trigger crystals to form, dissolve, or even be reshaped in real time.
OTHER STORIES
Artificial intelligence makes X‑ray spectroscopy five times faster
Argonne National Laboratory researchers developed an artificial intelligence-guided method that dramatically speeds up X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. It cuts the number of measurements previously needed by as much as 80%, with no loss of accuracy.
3D-printed biomimetic ‘mechanoelectrical’ smart materials inspired by sea urchin spines
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong discovered that the naturally occurring porous ceramic structure within sea urchin spines possesses an unexpected capability for mechanoelectrical perception. When water droplets or flowing water passes over the spine’s surface, its gradient cellular structure instantaneously generates measurable voltage signals.
Scientists unveil universal aging mechanism in glassy materials
By applying a generalized trap model to four distinct models, including the random energy model (a spin glass), the Weeks-Chandler-Andersen model (a simple atomic glass), and amorphous silica (a network glass), researchers in China demonstrated that glass aging behavior follows universal mathematical laws.