Characterization news, December 2021

Friction of fuzzy nanoparticles creates tough materials

Researchers have discovered that silica nanoparticles coated in polymer chains that are not too short or too long can produce extremely tough films.

Restructured catalysts prove better at splitting water

By studying the restructuring of water-splitting catalysts, researchers have been able to manipulate their surfaces to greatly increase their efficiency.

Low temperature milling makes hBN active

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) can be made ‘active’ by ball milling at extremely low temperatures

Carbon-fiber vitrimer composites reverse fatigue

carbon-fiber reinforced polymer composite based on vitrimeric polymer matrix that can reverse fatigue damage

Short pitch could lead to fast switch for new liquid crystal

Researchers have discovered that a novel liquid crystalline cholesteric compound has the shortest known pitch.

New technique places boundary on thermal behavior of polycrystals

Researchers have used electron energy loss spectroscopy to investigate the effect of heating on the grain boundaries of a polycrystal in nanoscale detail.

Scientists discover why more haste means less speed for batteries

Researchers have discovered what causes the damaging 'plating' effect on anodes when lithium-ion batteries are fast charged.

Special Issue on Advanced Welding and Joining Technologies - Call for Papers

New ultrahard diamond glass produced from buckyballs

Using a combination of heat and pressure, researchers have turned the spherical fullerenes known as buckyballs into an ultrahard diamond glass.

Cat’s paw inspires impact-resistant composite

cat's paw inspires soft, flexible impact-resistant and energy-dissipating composite

Heavy finding about ultra-thin two-layer material

Researchers have created a new ultra-thin two-layer material with quantum properties that normally require rare earth elements.

New technique captures first color images of carbon nanotubes

A novel imaging technology that compresses light into a tiny spot can reveal previously invisible details about nanomaterials, including colors.

Perovskite defects can be good, bad and ugly

Researchers have used multiple different microscopy techniques to reveal why perovskite materials are so tolerant of defects in their structure.

Sunlight squeezes more efficiency out of 2D perovskite solar cells

Sunlight can contract the space between atomic layers in 2D perovskites, improving the material’s photovoltaic efficiency by up to 18%.