The inaugural Materials Today Virtual Conference on the ‘New Carbon Era’ will take place on October 27th 2010. 25 August 2010
Materials Today Magazine invites you to nominate your best materials-related image to be considered for publication on the cover for one of ten 2011 issues. 17 August 2010
Are you a young researcher with a passion for communicating science in a clear and exciting way? 16 August 2010
A new study has created crystals that can both twist and untwist...... 12 August 2010
The ability to examine biological samples with both electron microscopy and light microscopy using a single instrument and switching between the two with a single mouse click is garnering top honors for the JEOL ClairScope 20 August 2010
A recent study is developing new forms of biofuel on the nano scale..... 12 August 2010
A new study has explored the best way to produce small wire bonds......... 12 August 2010
Oxide films can now be studied as they grow..... 12 August 2010
Scientists in Germany have discovered a time delay when using light pulses to emit electrons from atoms. 12 August 2010
Researchers around the world are working on the development of quantum computers..... 12 August 2010
It is being suggested that white graphene may be the perfect solution for silicon as a new era unfolds in nanoscale electronics. 12 August 2010
Engineering researchers at Rice University have published work showing how nanomaterials are poised for widespread use in the construction industry......... 12 August 2010
Rice University scientists have found the "ultimate" solvent for all kinds of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a breakthrough that brings the creation of a highly conductive quantum nanowire ever closer. 12 August 2010
A paper from the lab of Rice chemist James Tour demonstrates an environmentally friendly way to make bulk quantities of graphene oxide (GO) 12 August 2010
Metallic carbon nanotubes show great promise for applications from microelectronics to power lines ....... 12 August 2010
Rows of tiny raised blowfly corneas may be the key...... 12 August 2010
The winner of the 2011 Acta Materialia Inc Gold Medal Award is Professor Jagdish (Jay) Narayan 06 August 2010
A team of judges consisting of Acta Materialia, Scripta Materialia, and Acta Biomaterialia editors has completed the evaluation of nominees for the above award. 06 August 2010
Rows of tiny raised blowfly corneas may be the key to easy manufacturing of biomimetic surfaces. 05 August 2010
Discounts on Stereomicroscopy and Converting to 3D Imaging 03 August 2010
Compact Scanning Electron Microscope for Wide Use in Research 03 August 2010
Raleigh, NC, July 29, 2010 - Protochips, a company specializing in revolutionary products for in situ electron microscopy, today announced a new launch 29 July 2010
Two back illuminated Andor EMCCD cameras have been instrumental in helping Steven Chu, a Nobel laureate and Energy Secretary for the United States of America, redraw the boundaries of optical microscopy 29 July 2010
Stansted, July 27th, 2010: Agar Scientific, a leading supplier of microscopy accessories and consumables 28 July 2010
July 2010, Axbridge, UK: Meiji Techno UK, one of the UK's leading suppliers of light microscopes and accessories 28 July 2010
Rice University scientists have found the "ultimate" solvent for all kinds of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a breakthrough that brings the creation of a highly conductive quantum nanowire ever closer. 27 July 2010
Metallic carbon nanotubes show great promise for applications from microelectronics to power lines because of their ballistic transmission of electrons. But new research shows magnets can stop the migration of the electrons. 27 July 2010
A paper from the lab of Rice chemist James Tour demonstrates an environmentally friendly way to make bulk quantities of graphene oxide (GO), an insulating version of single-atom-thick graphene expected to find use in all kinds of material and electronic applications. 27 July 2010
A new study has explored the best way to produce small wire bonds that connect integrated chips through a direct-write approach. 24 July 2010
Oxide films can now be studied as they grow, in situ and with atomic scale resolution, say scientists from the US 19 July 2010
Anasys Instruments wins R&D 100 Award 16 July 2010
Scientists at the universities of Rennes in France and Bucharest in Romania have produced a new class of compounds called clustomesogens, a combination of liquid crystals and metal clusters, which glow intensely in the red and infrared range when irradiated. 28 June 2010
Lithium-ion batteries have been central to the development of many High Street electronic devices, and the same technology is expected to be pivotal to the new generation of electric cars now being planned. 28 June 2010
Salvinia molesta, a water fern well known for its water-dispersal properties, may provide the answer to lowering the amount of drag ships experience when they sail through the sea, thus reducing fuel costs [Barthlott et al., Adv Mater. (2010) 22, 1]. 28 June 2010
Nanocrystals can now be prepared with very good reproducibility and at high throughputs thanks to a new automated system devised by a team from Lawrence Berkeley and the University of California Berkeley [Chan et al., Nano Lett (2009) 9, 3767]. 28 June 2010
A newly developed material could be used to reduce the effects of vibration by absorbing energy through an accordion-like movement of its internal structure. 28 June 2010
Scientists have developed a fully functioning scale replica of a swallowtail butterfly to help them understand its flight and morphology. 28 June 2010
A library of supramolecular materials that can form hollow vesicles with potential in therapeutic drug and gene delivery, imaging diagnostics, as well as the cosmetics industry has been developed by researchers in Finland and the USA [Percec et al., Science (2010) 328, 1009 doi: 10.1126/science.1185547]. 28 June 2010
A new study has measured the instantaneous velocity of a Brownian particle for the first time, as well as verifying the energy equipartition theorem for a Brownian particle. 28 June 2010
Organic polymers have long been investigated as potential materials for wires and semiconductors in electronic applications. 28 June 2010
Scientists have made a breakthrough toward creating nanocircuitry on graphene, widely regarded as the most promising candidate to replace silicon as the building block of transistors. 28 June 2010
Scientists from the UK, Japan, and Slovenia have shed further light on the manner in which electronic correlations underpin the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity [Ganin et al., Nature (2010) doi:10.1038/nature09120]. 28 June 2010
With the restoration, conservation, dating and authentication of important works of art being such a delicate and difficult business, and one that can often damage the art itself, a potentially exciting new technique could make things a lot easier. 28 June 2010
Examining surfaces at the nano-scale is one of the most challenging problems of modern materials science. 23 June 2010
In a paper published in the April journal of Science, titled “Monolithic Carbide-Derived Carbon Films for Micro-Supercapacitors”, Chmiola and Yury Gogotsi of Drexel University, along with other co-authors, [Chmiola et al., Science (2010) 328, 480] describe a unique new technique for integrating high performance micro-sized supercapacitors into a variety of portable electronic devices through common microfabrication techniques. 15 June 2010
Magnetic nanoparticles carrying a pharmaceutical payload can be pulled towards blood vessel blockages to help clear them, according to research in animals published online in April [Levy et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci (2010) 10.1073/pnas.0909506107]. 15 June 2010
Researchers have shown how atomic scale moiré patterns, which cause an interference pattern to appear when grids are overlaid askew, can measure how sheets of graphene are stacked and, crucially, reveal areas of strain. 15 June 2010
In military and security situations, a split second can make the difference between life and death, so North Carolina State University's development of new “smart sensors” that allow for faster response times from military applications is important. 15 June 2010
A University of Florida engineering researcher has crafted a nickel-sized imaging device that uses organic light-emitting diode technology similar to that found in cell phone or laptop screens for night vision. 15 June 2010
The quantum phase transition paradigm for a 1D Ising chain placed in a transverse applied magnetic field has been realised experimentally for the first time, at ISIS. [Coldea et al., Science (2010) 327, 177] 15 June 2010
New research has provided an exciting insight into the processes that help form the smallest manufactured structures around, presenting a general theoretical framework for controlling nanotube growth without the use of metal catalysts, and could be generally applied to other materials. 15 June 2010
Functionalised single-walled carbon nanotubes, rather than being a health risk, cause T cell antigens to cluster in the blood and stimulate the body's natural immune response. 15 June 2010
Synthesising and isolating new forms of pure carbon allotropes, has been the focus of much research during the last two to three decades not least because of the discovery of the fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and more recently graphene. 15 June 2010
Scientists have built a device, called a nonlinear acoustic lens, which produces focused, high-amplitude acoustic pulses that have been dubbed “sound bullets”. 15 June 2010
The amoeboid movement by which many types of cell crawl across surfaces has fascinated scientists ever since it was first observed using the earliest microscopes. 15 June 2010
An ability to answer questions at the boundaries of nanotechnology, materials and biology sets apart Steven Lenhert, the newest faculty face of nanoscience at The Florida State University. 15 June 2010
Scientists from the UK, Japan and Slovenia, have shed further light on the manner in which electronic correlations underpin the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity [Ganin et al. Nature (2010), doi:10.1038/nature09120]. 11 June 2010
Five times the tensile strength of steel and triple that of the currently best synthetic fibers: Spider silk is a fascinating material. 01 June 2010
This book intends to present a comprehensive overview of recent progress with regard to different aspects of nanomaterials research and development that are closely related to their manufacture process, through to their release to the environment, identifying the critical areas undergoing further research. 25 May 2010
Medicine bottles that alert you when a prescription needs updating and computer screens which can be rolled up to fit in a briefcase are a step closer thanks to researchers at the De Montfort University Leicester. 20 May 2010
Scientists have discovered the world's smallest superconductor, a sheet of four pairs of molecules less than one nanometer wide. 20 May 2010
Researchers at IBM have made the first photodetector from graphene. 20 May 2010
A team of researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) created a new defect that just might be a solution to a growing challenge in the development of future electronic devices. [Lahiri et al., Nature Nanotech., (2010), doi:10.1038/nnano.2010.53 Letter.] 20 May 2010
A team of researchers has developed a new technique of fluorescence microscopy for observing objects on the nanoscale, and have also produced a new series of photostable dyes that can be used as fluorescent markers. 20 May 2010
Just 700 rows of piezoelectric nanowires could power a nanoscopic sensor, according to new research at the Georgia Institute of Technology. 20 May 2010
Engineers at Stanford have created a nanoscale probe they can implant in a cell wall without damaging the wall. [Almquist and Melosh, PNAS (2010) 107, 5815.] 20 May 2010
Researchers from UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science describe the creation of a new material incorporating spintronics that could help usher in the next generation of smaller, more affordable and more power-efficient devices. [Xiu et al., Nature Mat. (2010) 9, 337.] 20 May 2010
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new way to shape ceramics using a modest electric field, making the process significantly more energy efficient. 20 May 2010
Scientists have developed a new electronic device that allows circuits to bend, stretch and twist, and that could be used in places where normal electronics would not work, such as in the heart or brain. 19 May 2010
Nuclear reactors might one day be constructed using materials that can self-heal following radiation damage, thanks to a materials study by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory. 19 May 2010
Controlling the way liquids spread across a surface is important for a wide variety of technologies, including DNA microarrays for medical research, inkjet printers and digital lab-on-a-chip systems. But until now, the designers of such devices could only control how much the liquid would spread out over a surface, not which way it would go. 19 May 2010
Harrick Plasma Cleaner models are low-cost tabletop inductively coupled plasma devices that serve as excellent tools for surface cleaning, surface preparation and surface modification. Plasma treatment may be applied to a wide variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, composites, plastics, polymers and biomaterials. 17 May 2010
The JSM-6510LV low vacuum SEM is a high-performance, low cost, scanning electron microscope for fast characterization and imaging of fine structures. One of a family of four SEM models that are widely-used in all research fields and industrial applications, the JSM-6510LV enables observation of specimens up to 150mm in diameter. 17 May 2010
The HORIBA EMIA-V CS analyser became popular in the elemental analysis market thanks to advanced and unique features such as programmable temperature curve, gas analysers including CO and flexibility given by the software. 17 May 2010
Veeco Instruments Inc., the leading provider of scanning probe microscopes (SPM) to the nanoscience community, now manufactures new Sharp Nitride Lever (SNL) Probes that provide breakthrough atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging resolution and longer probe lifetimes, without higher expenses. 17 May 2010
Rapidly becoming the industry standard for analyzing chemical imaging data, ISys 5.0 from Malvern Instruments is available for license on a wide range of analytical systems. 17 May 2010
Digital Surf, specialist in surface analysis software for all types of surface metrology instrument, announced that MountainsMap® 6 - based on the company’s industry-standard Mountains Technology® - will be released at the beginning of July 2010. It includes a more powerful platform, enhanced interactivity, higher quality imaging, new advanced analysis features and more flexible report generation. 17 May 2010
Leveraging patented Dip Pen Nanolithography® (DPN®) technology, NanoInk has demonstrated the successful use of its NLP 2000 System for functionalizing biosensors, patterning functional hydrogels, and printing multiplexed protein arrays. 14 May 2010
As part of its bonded wafer inspection technology, Sonoscan has recently demonstrated acoustic imaging of defects in the seal that surrounds and protects the cavities in MEMS devices. 13 May 2010
The 2010 Sir George Beilby FRS Memorial Medal and Prize has been awarded to Dr. Suwan N. Jayasinghe. 11 May 2010
Synthesising and isolating new forms of pure carbon, allotropes, has been the focus of much research during the last two to three decades 10 May 2010
The amoeboid movement by which many types of cell crawl across surfaces has fascinated scientists ever since it was first observed using the earliest microscopes. 08 May 2010
In military and security situations, a split second can make the difference between life and death. 06 May 2010
A team of researchers has developed a new technique of fluorescence microscopy for observing objects on the nanoscale 28 April 2010
Just 700 rows of piezoelectric nanowires could power a nanoscopic sensor, according to new research at the Georgia Institute of Technology. 28 April 2010
This can have a number of different causes, most common are element peak overlaps, and – nowadays of increasing importance – the necessity to analyze the peaks of elements at low energies. 28 April 2010
Nuclear reactors might one day be constructed using materials that can self-heal following radiation damage, thanks to a materials study by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory. 28 April 2010
The London Centre for Nanotechnology is pleased to announce the creation of over 20 new Ph. D. positions for the current academic year. 23 April 2010
MIT researchers have discovered a way to make microelectromechanical devices, (MEMS), by stamping them onto a plastic film. 21 April 2010
A low-melting and magnetically-responsive alloy could be the key to soldering the components of three-dimensional microelectronics 21 April 2010
Recent natural disasters raise questions 21 April 2010
A team of scientists at MIT have discovered a previously unknown phenomenon 21 April 2010
A collaboration between researchers at Northwestern University and scientists at the University of Oxford has produced a new approach for understanding surfaces 21 April 2010
Unravelling the secret of silk's incredible strength 21 April 2010
Nanoscopic air bubbles prevent water from wetting a nanopatterned superhydrophobic surface 21 April 2010
The Strangest Liquid 21 April 2010
On 20th May, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), one of the UK’s leading science and research facilities, will hold an open day for the first time in over twenty years. 16 April 2010
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created the world's first self-powered sensors at the nanometric scale. 14 April 2010
LOT Oriel Ltd has been appointed as distributor for Park Systems in the UK & Ireland. 08 April 2010
Engineers at Stanford have created a nanoscale probe they can implant in a cell wall without damaging the wall. 07 April 2010
Scientists have discovered the world’s smallest superconductor. 02 April 2010
Controlling the way liquids spread across a surface is important for a wide variety of technologies 29 March 2010
Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new type of energy-harvesting rubber film that could harness natural body movements such as breathing and walking to help power pacemakers, mobile phones and other electronic devices. 22 March 2010
An optical effect first predicted by Isaac Newton has been shown to occur when neutrons interact with matter. 22 March 2010
In science it sometimes pays to ask silly questions. So let me ask, “Why are your bones not made of steel?” 22 March 2010
This book presents methods for synthesizing and characterizing adsorbents, ion exchangers, ionic conductors, heterogeneous catalysts, and permeable porous materials. 20 March 2010
In this book, the basic principles of nanocasting are introduced, the various replicated porous materials with their different framework compositions, structures, and properties are described, and recent developments of nanocasting synthesis are summarized. 20 March 2010
A new discovery that uses biology to engineer the assembly of nanoscale materials could have a wide array of applications in medicine, electronics and energy. 20 March 2010
Researchers have produced graphene to a size and quality where it can be practically developed for the first time, and have successfully measured its electrical characteristics. 20 March 2010
For the third year running, Biomaterials is delighted to present some of the most artful images from the 2009 volume captured in this limited edition poster. 20 March 2010
Researchers have developed a “molecular worm” algorithm that can study the passage of a molecule through the labyrinth of a chemical system. This algorithm fills the methodological gap between simple geometry-based approaches and more accurate, but expensive, molecular simulations. 18 March 2010
Researchers have produced graphene to a size and quality where it can be practically developed for the first time, and have successfully measured its electrical characteristics. 18 March 2010
A new discovery that uses biology to engineer the assembly of nanoscale materials could have a wide array of applications in medicine, electronics and energy. 18 March 2010
Graphene can be turned into complex structures by simply placing nanodroplets of water on its surface, say researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago. 18 March 2010
Researchers at Stanford University have successfully developed a brand new concept of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), using a few nanometers of graphene as a transparent conductor. 12 March 2010
In an ideal world, energy would be cleaner and the fuels we use would be readily available. 23 February 2010
A technique that enables replicas of biological structures, such as butterfly wings, to be made on a nanometric scale has been developed by a team of researchers from the State University of Pennsylvania and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain. 22 February 2010
Possibly the smallest Valentine's card in the world. 20 February 2010
Researchers have been able to view in detail, and for the first time, the previously unexplained process by which long chains of a protein called ubiquitin are added to proteins that control the cell cycle. 09 February 2010
You're looking at the tiniest snowman ever built, 10 microns across. 09 February 2010
Valuable paintings travel long distances when they are shipped from one place to another. To minimize damage, they are packed in special picture cases. 09 February 2010
Electronic devices can't work well unless all of the transistors, or switches, within them allow electrical current to flow easily when they are turned on. 09 February 2010
Nanotechnology has now produced a coating for windows or solar panels that repels grime and dirt. 09 February 2010
Researchers at Delft University of Technology, [Juan-Alcañiz et al., Journal of Catalysis (2010), 269, 221] have reported the synthesis of a new class of porous solids with outstanding bi-functional catalytic activity. 09 February 2010
Single-walled carbon nanotubes, SWNTs are the focus of much research aimed at building sophisticated nanoscopic structures for future electronic and spintronic devices. However, several conundrums surround their bizarre electrical conductivity behaviour, not least the issue of bandgap measurements and how these relate to the size and structure of semiconducting SWNTs. 09 February 2010
The way a material behaves is commonly dependent on the characteristics of its surface. An international team based in France and the USA [Chabal et al., Nature Mater (2010) DOI: 10.1038/NMAT2611] has now used a process to allow "snap-on" chemistry on silicon substrates by nanopatterning their surfaces. 09 February 2010
A fundamental laboratory advance has made it possible to break, at room temperature and pressure, two of the strongest types of chemical bonds in order to make common industrial compounds. In doing so, researchers at Cornell University have taken an important first step toward less-energy-intensive processes for making nitrogen-containing organic compounds. [Knobloch et al., Nature Chem., (2009) doi:10.1038/nchem.477] 09 February 2010
Electric batteries take a long time to re-charge but have large capacities, while capacitors can be charged very rapidly, but suffer from low-power densities. Researchers in the US and Germany [ Brezesinski et al., Nature Mater. (2010) DOI: 10.1038/NMAT2612] are developing new materials that could be used in pseudocapacitors that charge rapidly and have high power densities. 09 February 2010
Researchers from Duke University, North Carolina have created a lens which has a field of view close to 180° and a zero f-number [Kundtz et al., Nat. Mater. (2009) doi: 10.1038/NMAT2610]. 09 February 2010
Graphene can be turned into complex structures by simply placing nanodroplets of water on its surface, say researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago [Patra et al., Nano Lett. (2009) 9, 3767]. 09 February 2010
The importance of growing, functional and stable blood vessels at the site of an injury is crucial to regenerative medicine therapies. A new study has shown that synthetic polymers, called hydrogels, have been able to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue. 09 February 2010
A new study has shown that certain combinations of elemental atoms have electronic signatures that mimic the electronic signatures of other elements, which could help the development of cheaper materials as new sources of energy, in pollution reduction and in catalysts for chemical processing. 09 February 2010
An optical effect first predicted by Isaac Newton has been shown to occur when neutrons interact with matter. 01 February 2010
Single-walled carbon nanotubes, SWNTs are the focus of much research aimed at building sophisticated nanoscopic structures for future electronic and spintronic devices. 23 January 2010
At long last there is experimental evidence that magnetic charges exist and that they have measurable currents or magnetricity, just like an electric charge [Bramwell et al., Nature (2009) 461, 956]. 13 January 2010
Could nanotechnology be the key to developing an interface between nerve cells and microelectronic circuitry? US scientists have recently demonstrated that signals can be recorded from rat neurons using conducting polymer nanotubes. The research carried out at the University of Michigan might one day help in the development of sensors and treatments for neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease and paralysis. 13 January 2010
A team of scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich, www.ethz.ch), Switzerland, has developed an innovative biodegradable metallic glass that might one day replace the metal implants currently used to repair bone fractures [Zberg et al., doi:10.1038/nmat2542]. The new material would make it unnecessary to undergo a second implant-removal surgery; it would also eliminate the side-effects of permanent implants by dissolving into the body, once the healing process of the bones has been achieved. 13 January 2010
New research has shown how graphene-like structures designed on the nanoscale level – geodesic systems shaped like the Eden Project building in Cornwall, UK – could be used as building blocks for a new generation of electronic circuits, giving rise to faster computers, or mobile phones that send data at much higher rates. 13 January 2010
A novel type of hard X-ray interferometer employing a bilens system with two parallel arrays of compound refractive lenses has been developed by scientists from France and Russia. Under coherent illumination, the bilens generates two diffraction limited mutually coherent beams. When the beams overlap they produce an interference pattern with a fringe spacing ranging from tens of nanometres to tens of micrometres. 13 January 2010
Rice University scientists today unveiled a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon-nanotube fibers that could lead to revolutionary advances in materials science, power distribution and nanoelectronics [Rice et al., Nature nanotech. (2009) doi:10.1038/nnano.2009.302]. The result of a nine-year program, the method builds upon tried-and-true processes that chemical firms have used for decades to produce plastics. 13 January 2010
Researchers from Harvard University in Massachusetts have devised a method to study non-fluorescent molecules using a technique called stimulated emission microscopy, an approach based upon a phenomenon first described by Albert Einstein in 1917 [Min et al., Nature (2009) 461, 1105]. 13 January 2010
New research has demonstrated how a blend of polymers and nanoparticles that react to different stimuli, such as heat and light, can be made by adding small molecules to the mixture. This straightforward approach could be a key development in applying such materials industrially, and could have potential for energy harvesting and storage, as well as optical devices and catalysis. 13 January 2010
Scientists have discovered a technique for using artificial cells to explore the function of molecules in actual biological cells. The new approach can help the measurement of biological systems and show how cell nanomachinery interacts within cells, which could have a major impact in the development of new medical procedures and drug discovery. 13 January 2010
Danish nanophysicists have developed a new method for manufacturing nanowires. The discovery has great potential for the development of nanoelectronics and highly efficient solar cells. [Krogstrup, et al., Nano Lett. (2009) doi: 10.1021/n1901348d] 13 January 2010
A magnetic charge can behave and interact just like an electric charge in some materials, according to new research led by the London Centre for Nanotechnology which could lead to a reassessment of current magnetism theories, as well as significant technological advances. 05 January 2010
A new approach to nanoelectronics could see researchers using DNA origami to self-assemble circuits from carbon nanotubes and other materials. 22 December 2009
The future of lighter, cheaper, and more-flexible solar cells looks bright thanks to US research into silver nanoparticles. Scientists at Ohio State University have added the nanoparticles to their polymer semiconductor photovoltaic materials and observed a relative efficiency boost of 12 percent. The discovery could pave the way to flexible organic photovoltaics with all the advantages of ease of manufacture and inexpensive starting materials. 22 December 2009
A team of researchers have built a very small and efficient nuclear battery, which is intended to power various micro/nanoelectromechanical systems. The radioisotope battery is tiny – the current model is about the size and thickness of a penny – and innovatively uses a liquid semiconductor rather than the usual solid one. 22 December 2009
In its recent report The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century, the U.S.-based National Academy of Engineering outlined the various fields in which students educated in engineering might go on to be leaders, including research, product and system development, business and even broader professions. 22 December 2009
The global energy problem is rapidly intensifying due to escalating competition for resources from emerging, populous countries such as China, India, and Brazil and compelling evidence pointing towards the imperative need for controlling greenhouse gas and carbon emissions. 22 December 2009
Graphite should not be ferromagnetic because it has none of the high-level 3d and 4f electrons seen in iron that can align to produce a magnetic field. Graphite contains only sp electrons, which produce only weak magnetic signals. 22 December 2009
Danish nanophysicists have developed a new method for manufacturing nanowires. The discovery has great potential for the development of nanoelectronics and highly efficient solar cells. [Krogstrup, et al., Nano Lett., (2009) DOI: 10.1021/n1901348d] 18 December 2009
Taking nanomaterials to a new level of structural complexity, scientists have determined how to introduce kinks into arrow-straight nanowires, transforming them into zigzagging two- and three-dimensional structures with correspondingly advanced functions. 18 December 2009
Rice University scientists today unveiled a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon-nanotube fibers that could lead to revolutionary advances in materials science, power distribution and nanoelectronics [Rice et al., Nature nanotech. (2009) doi:10.1038/nnano.2009.302 ]. 18 December 2009
Physicists at Harvard University [Bakr et al., Nature 462, (2009) 74 ] have created a quantum gas microscope that can be used to observe single atoms at temperatures so low the particles follow the rules of quantum mechanics, behaving in bizarre ways. 18 December 2009
You're looking at the tiniest snowman ever built, 10 microns across. 05 December 2009
By taking advantage of the vagaries of the natural world, Duke University engineers [Stanton et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. (2009) , 95] have developed a novel approach that they believe can more efficiently harvest electricity from the motions of everyday life. 27 November 2009
A new method for assembling carbon nanotubes has been used to create fibers hundreds of meters long. 27 November 2009
Duke University bioengineers have developed a simple and inexpensive method for loading cancer drug payloads into nano-scale delivery vehicles 27 November 2009
A group of scientists at the University of Bath [J D Beard et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 ] have developed new modified AFM probes designed for the cutting and manipulation of structures at extremely small scales. 26 November 2009
The most efficient way to get electricity from hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas or gasified coal is to oxidize them in a solid-oxide fuel cell. Unlike other fuel cells, solid-oxide cells can run on almost any fuel. But running them efficiently requires high temperatures, which raises prices. 05 November 2009
A portable instrument based on an ultrasensitive nanoscale sensor could detect bacteria in minutes, helping to catch infectious diseases early and prevent their spread. 05 November 2009
Scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting an advance toward overcoming one of the key challenges in nanotechnology: Getting molecules to move quickly in a desired direction without help from outside forces. 05 November 2009
Australian scientists [Reith F, et al, (2009) pnas.0904583106 ] have found that the bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans catalyses the biomineralisation of gold by transforming toxic gold compounds to their metallic form using active cellular mechanism. 05 November 2009
We are pleased to announce that Materials Today in partnership with Sigma-Aldrich, are staging a live educational webinar on:From Molecules to Monolayers:Self-Assembly and Analysis, Molecule by Molecule 05 November 2009
Diamond has long been sought after as a gemstone without peer. Recently it has been shown to be the only known solid-state host of qubits and single photon sources that operates at room temperature. 16 October 2009
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed the first mass spectrometer using nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) to detect single individual molecular species in real time. 16 October 2009
Stable, non-volatile computer memory could emerge from research that involves depositing amorphous carbon on to silicon, say US researchers. 16 October 2009
Researchers have made a breakthrough in the search for a cloaking device that can make objects appear invisible to the external observer, an area of enquiry that is attracting a lot of scientific interest. 16 October 2009
Nanotubes and nanowires are not as amenable to manipulation as macroscopic commodities, however, their promise as building blocks for future electronics, sensors, and electromechanical devices, means that researchers are keen to find ways to handle these tiny entities easily. 16 October 2009
When it comes to charges, molecules of hydrogen are just too symmetrical. 16 October 2009
Surface charges play a key role in determining the structure and function of proteins, DNA and larger biomolecular structures. 16 October 2009
There has been a huge upsurge in anticipating how the public will react to nanotechnology, particularly a widespread negativity about its use and the possible health risks associated with nanomaterials. 16 October 2009
Scientists have developed the first efficient diamond Raman laser, using man-made diamonds to enhance their strength and effectiveness, and achieving a comparable efficiency to lasers built with other materials. 16 October 2009
Coherent X-ray diffraction patterns of collagen in soft tissues have been measured for the first time by Dr Felisa Berenguer (London Centre for Nanotechnology) with her colleagues [paper to publish in PNAS 2009]. 16 October 2009
Researchers have reported unexpected results from studies into the behavior of oppositely charged liquid drops. 16 October 2009
So many strong detergents and less than ecologically friendly solvents are used in cleaning, both in industry and domestically – they may clean the stains we want removed, but we have no choice but to use them and damage the environment. 16 October 2009
A magnetic charge can behave and interact just like an electric charge in some materials, according to new research led by the London Centre for Nanotechnology 15 October 2009
Please visit www.NanoProfessor.net to learn more about this innovative nanoscience education program. It combines equipment, curriculum, and supplies for a complete nanofabrication experience at the high school, technical school, or small college level. 15 October 2009
Scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting an advance toward overcoming one of the key challenges in nanotechnology: Getting molecules to move quickly in a desired direction without help from outside forces. 10 October 2009
NPL scientists are paving the way for highly accurate measurement at the nano-scale and beyond, by being the first team in the world to develop a tiny microwave-powered room-temperature fridge [Hao et al journal Applied Physics Letters (2009), 95, 113501] 07 October 2009
Scientists have reported use of a new X-ray imaging technique to reveal for the first time in a century unprecedented details of a painting hidden beneath another painting by American illustrator N.C. (Newell Convers) Wyeth. 04 October 2009
A novel antimicrobial silver-based gel using nanoparticles appears to offer an effective and safer alternative to conventional silver-based formulations used to treat burn wounds. 28 September 2009
What do we really mean by ‘engineering leadership’, how can it be developed and nurtured? 25 September 2009
Biomineralization studies of a recently discovered 2,000-year-old bronze sculpture may help modern scientists understand how to prevent metal corrosion, discover the safest ways to permanently store nuclear waste, and understand other perplexing problems. [Lyons et al., Cryst. Growth Des., DOI: 10.1021/cg900402b]. 24 September 2009
Conventional phonon Raman spectroscopy is a powerful experimental technique for the study of crystalline solids that allows crystallography, phase and domain identification on length scales down to 1 mm. 24 September 2009
Scientists [Gentleman et al., DOI: 10.1038/NMAT2505 ] have successfully highlighted the importance of cell source in regenerative medicine. 24 September 2009
Tweezers are not just for plucking eyebrows and removing splinters, they can be used to arrange small objects. 24 September 2009
Molecule-sized electronics components could soon be on the menu thanks to US research that has led to a simple recipe for sandwiching organic molecules between silicon and metal layers. 24 September 2009
Proteins are dynamic molecular machines having structural flexibility that allows conformational changes. 24 September 2009
Engineers have developed a new method for creating high-performance membranes from crystal sieves called zeolites; the method could increase the energy efficiency of chemical separations up to 50 times over conventional methods and enable higher production rates. 24 September 2009
Two scientists have discovered that the ability of the gecko to grip onto smooth surfaces is actually triggered by gravity, and that it is the steepness of a surface that makes them deploy their gripping mechanism. 24 September 2009
Scientists have reported use of a new X-ray imaging technique to reveal for the first time in a century unprecedented details of a painting hidden beneath another painting by American illustrator N.C. (Newell Convers) Wyeth. The non-destructive look-beneath-the-surface method could reveal hidden images in hundreds of Old Master paintings and other prized works of art, the researchers say. The scientists reported the research at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). 06 September 2009
A recent breakthrough by researchers at the Swiss Nanoscience Institute sees for the first time the creation of thin films with controllable electronic properties. 05 September 2009
Recessions pose enormous challenges for individuals, companies and governments alike. Yet they also present significant opportunities for those with the foresight to seize them. 28 August 2009
Today's technology is capable of powering a car using hydrogen reducing harmful emissions to zero. 24 August 2009
Protein arrays are used in a wide range of applications, including diagnostic biosensors. Diagnostic biosensors detect diseases in the human body. 22 August 2009
Despite the continued demand for Flash RAM memory for portable data storage and other applications, intensive research into the alternative magnetic RAM continues. MRAM offers the potential for faster write times than Flash memory and greater permanence. 22 August 2009
The most widely studied and commercially important block copolymers are poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide) triblocks. 22 August 2009
Dr Alan Soper has been awarded the highest possible position for an STFC scientist, that of Senior Fellow. 22 August 2009
Innovation in the field of bio-protectant materials stems from a need to stabiliise and preserve biological products. 22 August 2009
A team led by University College London (UCL) has used a combination of X-rays and neutron scattering to determine the structure of secretory immunoglobin A (SIgA), the most prevalent antibody in the immune system. 22 August 2009
Electronic devices based on organic semiconductors, such as Alq3 (tris[8-hydroxy-quinoline] aluminum) are revolutionising electroluminescent displays and large-area electronics. 22 August 2009
A new instrument is to be built at the ISIS Second Target Station dedicated to microchip irradiation testing. 22 August 2009
Scientists at the London Centre for Nanotechnology [Reuegg et al., doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.107204, report a major breakthrough in the study of low-dimensional quantum systems. 14 August 2009
The lack of a bandgap, or energy range, on two-dimensional crystalline carbon, or graphene, has limited the outlook for the material with respect to electronic applications. 14 August 2009
Researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) [Rumsey et al., doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.03.023] report on the first lab-grown motor nerves that are insulated and organized just like they are in the human body. 14 August 2009
Semiconductor nanowires have intrigued scientists for many years as they provide many opportunities to study and apply phenomena at the nanoscale. With diameters as small as a few billionths of a meter they hold promise for devices of the future, both in technology like light-emitting diodes and in new versions of transistors and circuits for next generation devices. 14 August 2009
Nanoparticles typically exhibit low cohesion, making their use in thin films problematic. Scientists at Vanderbilt University have found a way of fabricating all-nanoparticle thin films that do not easily disintegrate, making them suitable for a wider range of applications than was previously the case [Hasan, et al., Chemical Communications 2009 25 3723]. 14 August 2009
New approaches and standardized test procedures to study the impact of nanoparticles on living cells are urgently needed for the evaluation of potential hazards relating human exposure to nanoparticles. An important aspect of nanoparticle toxicity, in contrast to molecular toxicity, is the fact that the preparation and way of administration of the nanoparticles plays a crucial role. 14 August 2009
A group of scientists from Biopolis, Zhejiang University, The University of South Carolina and Nanyang Technological University [Liu et al., DOI: 10.1038/NNANO.2009.153] have shown that a novel class of core–shell nanoparticles formed by self-assembly of an amphiphilic peptide have strong antimicrobial properties against a range of bacteria, yeasts and fungi. 14 August 2009
Ancient residents of Mexico decorating their pottery and homes used a very stable blue pigment now known as ‘Maya Blue’. A mixture of indigo dye and palygorskite clay, the vivid pigment provides a dramatic background for some of the most impressive murals throughout Mesoamerica. 14 August 2009
Scientists at the University of Florence and at the University of L'Aquila [Lozzi et al., doi: 10.1016/j.electacta.209.01.038] have successfully synthesised vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. A powerful genosensor was developed from this using synthetic oligonucleotides. 14 August 2009
Paving the way for smaller and more efficient devices, a superconducting sheet just two atoms thick has been created at The University of Texas at Austin by Dr. Ken Shih and colleagues [Shengyong Qin, et al., DOI: 10.1126/science.1170775]. 14 August 2009
The impact of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) over the past 20 years has been dramatic: its invention was, for example recently rated the second most important advance in materials science of the past 50 years. 14 August 2009
Available online 14 August 2009. The performance of ultra thin next-generation flexible display technologies is dependent on the structure of polymer-polymer interfaces. Thanks to neutron reflection, researchers can now examine how fabrication procedures affect interface structure and device performance. 14 August 2009
Discovery in February 2008 of a new class of superconductors based on Fe-As combinations has spawned enormous activity as materials groups race to find the right combinations that will push the superconducting temperature as high as possible. 14 August 2009
For nearly a century the goal of many pharmacologists has been to create drugs that can be transported to a specific organ within the body and released at a controlled rate. 14 August 2009
First synthesised in 1837 by Carl Julius Fritzsche, magnesium sulfate undecahydrate – MgSO4·11H2O, is a long known, but little studied material. Suggestions that it could be a major rock-forming mineral on the icy satellites of Jupiter has re-awakened interest. 14 August 2009
Hydrogen is frequently found as an impurity in semiconducting materials used in the electronics industry. 14 August 2009
A team led by America's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has used a combination of neutron diffraction and photon measurements to discover the unusual electronic properties of silver niobate. [Levin, Phys. Rev. B (2009) 79, 104113] 14 August 2009
A £2.1 million investment in muon spectroscopy at ISIS promises to open up new areas of research in soft matter and bioscience. Muon spectroscopy monitors the decay of muons when implanted into samples. 14 August 2009
New results on energy-selective neutron radiography show vast potential for new materials science and engineering research according to a European research collaboration. 13 August 2009
Professor Marshall Stoneham to become President-Elect of IoP 31 July 2009
Paving the way for smaller and more efficient devices, a superconducting sheet just two atoms thick has been created at The University of Texas at Austin by Dr. Ken Shih and colleagues [Shengyong Qin, et al., DOI: 10.1126/science.1170775]. 29 July 2009
The impact of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) over the past 20 years has been dramatic: its invention was, for example recently rated the second most important advance in materials science of the past 50 years. 28 July 2009
Scientists at the London Centre for Nanotechnology [Reuegg et al., doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.107204, report a major breakthrough in the study of low-dimensional quantum systems. 28 July 2009
New approaches and standardized test procedures to study the impact of nanoparticles on living cells are urgently needed for the evaluation of potential hazards relating human exposure to nanoparticles. 09 July 2009
Novel optical applications, such as perfect lenses, optical cloaking and quantum levitation, have fuelled a search for materials that exhibit magnetism at optical frequencies. However, fabricating the required nanostructures in three dimensions is a significant challenge. 20 June 2009
Long before the Klingons came at Captain Kirk with ‘cloaked’ space craft in the 1960s, the imagined possibilities of invisibility have been dreamed of by schoolboys, scientists, the military and almost everyone else. 18 June 2009
Until now both scientific and technological fields have been unable to agree whether the stress-induced martensitic transformation of shape memory alloys (SMAs) exhibits a size dependence similar to that observed in crystal plasticity. 18 June 2009
Graphene is a material of growing technological importance due in part to its outstanding properties, numerous and potential applications. 18 June 2009
The development of smaller ferroelectric capacitors with additional capacity is at least partly held up by the presence of a ‘dead layer’ at the surface. 18 June 2009
Scientific and technological interest in one-dimensional nanomaterials, in particular carbon nanotubes, is a result of their fascinating properties and their ability to serve as templates for directed assembly. 18 June 2009
Quantum dots (QDs) and the electrons that can be trapped in their discrete energy levels are of great interest for quantum information processing. The spin state of these trapped electrons could act as carriers of quantum information or ‘qubits’. 17 June 2009
It is widely known that the ability to attach different functional moieties to a molecular building block can lead to applications in fields such as nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, intelligent sensing and drug delivery. 17 June 2009
It has been known for some time that stretchability properties in materials will significantly expand the scope of applications in the electronics industry particularly for large-area electronic displays, sensors and actuators, and unlike conventional devices stretchable electronics can cover arbitrary surfaces and movable parts, opening up a wealth of opportunities. 17 June 2009
There is increasing demand for low-cost gas sensors that can discriminate between low concentrations of analytes. 17 June 2009
The assembly of complex structures out of simple colloidal building blocks is of practical interest for building materials with unique optical properties (for example photonic crystals and DNA biosensors) and is of fundamental importance in improving our understanding of self-assembly processes occurring on molecular to macroscopic length scales. 12 June 2009
Dolomite, world leader in microfluidic design and manufacture, has significantly increased its offering with the ability to integrate metal electrodes into its range of glass and polymer microfluidic chips. 12 June 2009
You’ve been expecting something genuinely new from the AFM/SPM industry, but for many years you’ve only seen tweaks to old technology. 12 June 2009
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced researchers are developing new tools for rapidly characterizing biological pathogens that could give rise to potentially deadly pandemics such as Influenza A (H1N1). 12 June 2009
The Axio CSM 700 confocal microscope from Carl Zeiss meets users’ demands for rapid and robust non-contact measurement of 3D microstructures and determination of surface roughness. Ideal for materials research, quality inspection and routine applications, the Axio CSM 700 displays surfaces three-dimensionally in high resolution and in true colour even on relatively "soft" surfaces. 12 June 2009
The new X-Max Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) offers users over TEN times the solid angle of conventional EDS detectors... without compromising on performance. Now you can have count rate, imaging, and analytical performance all at the same time. 12 June 2009
Memory storage miniaturization is progressing steadily on to smaller and smaller devices. As structures go, one cannot miniaturize further than to the size of individual molecules. 12 June 2009
Defects and boundaries are often created intentionally within materials to provide extra strength. However, this process comes at a price. Although the material is now stronger, it is also more brittle and its ability to stretch and deform is drastically reduced. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China have devised strategies to overcome this loss of ductility and the answer comes in the form of nanoscale twin boundaries 26 May 2009
Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) structures and properties are dominated by two interactions: those between the substrate and adsorbate, and those between the adsorbates themselves. 26 May 2009
The storage of electrical energy at high charge and discharge rate is an important technology in today's society. It can enable hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and provide back-up for wind and solar energy. 26 May 2009
Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, netbooks, and cameras are becoming increasingly more important to our society. How rarely we leave the house without our trusty iPhone or Blackberry! 26 May 2009
Ever since prehistoric days, humans have used natural paint systems to decorate caves, etc. However, after the introduction of cheaper base products such as mineral oils, the use of more expensive and environmentally friendly resources in paints and coatings declined. 26 May 2009
The development of micro- and nanoscale fabrication and characterization techniques in recent decades has led to a rapid increase in availability of research tools for studying small-scale systems. Because of the excitement specifically associated with analysis and manipulation of micro- and nanoscale fluid systems, the interest in micro- and nanofluidics continues to grow. 26 May 2009
Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, netbooks, and cameras are becoming increasingly more important to our society. How rarely we leave the house without our trusty iPhone or Blackberry! These devices will continue to get cheaper and lighter, and will increasingly incorporate flexible components or displays. 26 May 2009
In the realm of science fiction, the idea of tiny nanorobots that can enter the human body and seek out and destroy unwanted elements has been prevalent. 16 April 2009
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can detect osteoarthritis several months before conventional morphology-based diagnostic techniques. 16 April 2009
Researchers have come up with a new type of non-toxic nanoparticle 12 April 2009
Feynman's famous 1959 proclamation “There's plenty of room at the bottom” largely referred to the untapped storage ability for information at the nanoscale. 12 April 2009
One of the major obstacles preventing the development of implantable biosensors, artificial kidneys, and other “active” medical devices has been the reduction in device function after implantation. 12 April 2009
Much research activity is presently devoted to organic photovoltaic devices (OPV), in particular ones comprising polymers as donors and a variety of C60 fullerenes with organic molecules attached as acceptors. 12 April 2009
When deciding upon a particular project, do not simply consider benefits and costs, but do ask “whose benefits and whose costs? 12 April 2009
Using the art of origami a group of scientists [MIT tech talk (2009) 53, 4] and [Arora, et al., J. Microelec. Syst. (2009) 18, 98] have successfully fabricated a functional microscale super capacitor, which is essentially a nanostructured 3D device. 12 April 2009
Until now it has been virtually impossible to record meaningful and reproducible data from single non-bonded molecules. 12 April 2009
Silicon nanocrystals are particularly useful for applications in nanoelectronic, optoelectronic and biological disciplines, and their production has become increasingly important. 12 April 2009
Scientists have developed a novel fullerene species 06 April 2009
DNA is one of the most promising materials for the construction of arbitrarily tailored 3D nanostructures 19 March 2009
Producing new high performance materials with enhanced strength and toughness by copying and mimicking nature's hidden marvels is the essence of biomimicry. 19 March 2009
The behaviour of carbon under high pressure in the vicinity of the melt boundary has been investigated by scientists actively in the last years. 19 March 2009
Given the limited reserves of fossil and nuclear fuels, it seems evident that our future energy demands will have to be met by renewable energy sources. 19 March 2009
The phenomenon known as giant magnetoresistance (GMR), which has won the Nobel prize of physics in 2007, is based on the effect of antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) between adjacent layers of magnetic materials. 19 March 2009
The highly unusual properties of graphene has triggered a flurry of research activity in 2D carbon worldwide over the past four years. 19 March 2009
Minute though it may be, the carbon atom is single-handedly responsible for an entire branch of chemistry, and lies at the base of most of biology. 19 March 2009
Few ideas capture the imagination as vividly as cloaking, or rendering objects invisible to electromagnetic radiation. 19 March 2009
With colorimetric sensors, problems with selectivity and degradation give rise to stability issues. 27 November 2008
Organic light sources become steadily more important in the growing field of optoelectronics. 27 November 2008
Soft colloidal particles play an important role in large-scale and microfluidic industrial processing applications, as well as in a variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. 27 November 2008
Up to now, electrospinning has always been accepted as a fast, simple and efficient technique for the production of polymer fibers, with variable dimensions. 27 November 2008
The search for suitable semiconductors as photocatalysts for the splitting of water into hydrogen gas using solar energy is one of the noblest missions that face material scientists today. 27 November 2008
Gold is one of the few metals that is not rejected by our body. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) thus provide non-toxic routes to drug and gene delivery applications. 27 November 2008
Treating the entire superconductivity field, this unparalleled reference resource blends theoretical studies with experimental results to provide the scientists and engineers an indispensable foundation for further research. 27 November 2008
A comprehensive single source of information on structural assessment techniques for marine and land based structures, industrial plants and buildings. 27 November 2008
Shape memory alloys are suitable for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as dentistry, bone repair and cardiovascular stents. 27 November 2008
This comprehensive book covers the latest developments in advanced dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials. 27 November 2008
Dr Andrew Taylor, Director of the ISIS neutron source, explains the opportunities for materials scientists. 27 November 2008
Change is the order of the day. However, this state of flux is not confined to materials scientists. Organisations such as the UK Centre for Materials Education (UKCME), charged with a remit to enhance student learning, are also in the business of change. 27 November 2008
A house that changes color to white when it is hot, will reflect more sunlight and require less air conditioning. 27 November 2008
The assembly of nanostructures according to one's wishes is one great goal of today's materials science. Probably the most promising approach for molecular construction deals with the utilization of DNA-strands that can be combined with atom point precision. 27 November 2008
Single Wall carbon NanoTubes (SWNTs) offer excellent electronic and mechanical properties making them suitable for a vast range of potential applications. 27 November 2008
By creating semiconductor nanowires surrounded by multiple concentric quantum wells, researchers at Harvard University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have succeeded in fabricating tunable miniature lasers. 27 November 2008
Walking effortlessly across vertical surfaces, or hanging comfortably from the ceiling, gecko lizards are capable of performing feats we haven't quite figured out how to replicate yet. 27 November 2008
The physics of high-temperature cuprate superconductors in the overdoped regime, where superconductivity is suppressed, is something of a mystery. 27 November 2008
Researchers from Denmark, the Netherlands and the US have developed a technique for creating multimodal contrast agents for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis, a disease affecting the arterial blood vessels 27 November 2008
Researchers from Cornell University have devised a simple and efficient means of creating highly ordered arrays of nanoparticles without the aid of a surface-modified substrate or self-assembled monolayer acting as a template. 27 November 2008
Mineral fillers are used in paper making to provide structure, surface finish and a bond between plant fibers, making the paper stronger. A recent study has shown that Egyptian talc, modified with phthalic anhydride and urea, provides a better bond between the fibers and higher resistance to water 27 November 2008
A material which exhibits conductivities as high as 57 S/cm and is also elastic has been created by a team from Japan. 28 September 2008
Student learning through international development projects. Who pays and who benefits? 26 September 2008
Vincent van Gogh, one of the founding fathers of modern painting, was known to save canvas in a very particular way: He reused the canvases of abandoned paintings by covering them with layers of white and then painted over them 26 September 2008
Many methods can be employed to measure mechanical displacement; the coupling of optical and mechanical degrees of freedom is behind many of these techniques. 26 September 2008
It is widely believed that interactions at metal surfaces increase with an increase in molecular velocity. Scientists in California have presented findings that actually contradict this belief 26 September 2008
Invisibility cloaks have taken a step closer to reality as a result of new research carried out by a group from the University of California Berkeley in the US. 26 September 2008
Using block copolymers that spontaneously assemble into patterns created by lithography, higher density and greater uniformity can be obtained when manufacturing data storage devices, according to research carried out at the University of Wisconsin 26 September 2008
Researchers at Brandeis University have presented a paper that offers renewed hope in finding commercially viable routes to the successful breakdown of fluorinated compounds 26 September 2008
Diamonds filled with mineral deposits (or inclusions) provide a chance to see a frozen snapshot of extreme chemical and physical processes that have occurred in the earths mantle 26 September 2008
Passing through materials that are opaque to visible light, terrahertz waves offer advantages in imaging applications 26 September 2008
The self-assembly of small molecular ‘building blocks’ into large and ordered structures, inspired by biological systems, is a highly attractive prospect because it does not involve complicated synthetic pathways or external manipulation. 26 September 2008
A comprehensive update of people and places 26 September 2008
The capability to perceive light was among the first senses to develop in animals and, many species use eyes as their primary sense organs 26 September 2008
An integrated sensor circuit that is based on nanowire arrays and combining light sensors with electronics made from different crystalline materials, has been developed by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of California at Berkeley 26 September 2008
Fuel cell technology has emerged over the past few years as one of the most popular fields of research in our quest to improve efficiencies in modern power generation and storage. 26 September 2008
Researchers from the US and Germany have developed a new polymeric material that allows organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) to operate stably in water 26 September 2008
Graphine is a one atom thick crystal layer, a chemically stable and electrically conducting membrane exhibiting a variety of unique properties due to its novel molecular structure One of the big question still remaining unanswered was; can such membranes be impermeable to atoms, molecules and ions? 26 September 2008
An engineering tragedy consists of a sequence of events, some normal and some unusual, which must occur in a certain order and with a certain timing, for the accident to take place. 26 September 2008
Wheat is capable of producing a dough with very special structural properties. How does a such a sticky mass become a tasty loaf? 19 August 2008
Bryan Kaehr and Jason B. Shear at the University of Texas at Austin have used multiphoton nonlinear excitation to fabricate chemically responsive protein structures embedded in a protein hydrogel matrix 19 August 2008
Myosins are biological molecular motors that glide along long filaments called actin to transport cargo within cells. 19 August 2008
Researchers at the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology in India have fabricated superhydrophobic nanocomposite coatings composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and oligo(p-phenylenevinylene) (OPV) molecules 19 August 2008
Au nanoclusters have found use in many contexts, but their structure and electronic properties have until recently remained elusive. 19 August 2008
As devices get ever smaller, nanotechnologists' concerns about the forces that come into play at the nanoscale grow ever larger. 19 August 2008
Over the last few years, scientists have been working hard to develop dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) that are both cheaper and easier to manufacture than conventional photovoltaic cells. 19 August 2008
Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institut and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland have unveiled the next best thing in X-ray microscopy by combining the advantages of two well-established techniques. 19 August 2008
A peek into the inner workings of high temperature superconductors has been provided by new work by an international collaboration reporting in Nature. 19 August 2008
One-dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires, nanotubes, and nanorods have a large potential as building blocks for assembling nanodevices. 19 August 2008
A team of scientists has shown that metallic silicon nanowires (Si NWs) grown on a Ag surface undergo an oxidation process that is remarkably similar to the combustion process in a burning match 19 August 2008
redictions about the phenomenal strength of defect-free graphene appear to be well-founded, according to new experimental data from researchers at Columbia University 19 August 2008
Semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising for electronics because of their superior properties, particularly their suitability for flexible applications. 19 August 2008
The fragility of our energy infrastructure and an emphasis on climate change provide new business opportunities for materials science. 19 August 2008
Bryan Kaehr and Jason B. Shear at the University of Texas at Austin have used multiphoton nonlinear excitation to fabricate chemically responsive protein structures embedded in a protein hydrogel matrix. 19 August 2008
Photons are an attractive alternative to electron spins as quantum bits in information processing because they can propagate over large distances with low losses and can operate at low powers. 06 June 2008
Email Address
Password
Forgotten login?