Crystalline materials

Positive results help explain metal’s negative thermal expansion

A new study shows that samarium sulfide expands at low temperatures due to electrons moving into the outermost shell of the samarium atoms.

Material reveals hot ‘super-Planckian’ identity

When heated, a novel photonic crystal appears to emit more coherent light at infrared wavelengths than can be explained by Planck's Law.

Making sensors from 2-D materials

Sheets that are just a single molecular layer thick could be used to detect toxic gases

Announcing the launch of Best Paper Prizes on Elseviers Leading Polymer Journals

Semiconductors can show facets of metals and superconductors

Researchers have shown that the crystal structure at the surface of semiconductor materials can make them behave like metals and even superconductors.

Carbon nanotubes get into the groove

Researchers have found that small grooves in filter paper can cause single-walled carbon nanotubes to line up side-by-side in 2D films.

New approach to GaN nanowire growth for cheaper LEDs

Producing single crystalline GaN nanowire growth based on an amorphous substrate

Five degrees of freedom

Five degrees of freedom in polycrystalline materials

Boron takes the strain out of Li-ion battery electrodes

Ni-rich cathodes used in EV Li-ion batteries show improved performance stability when doped with boron

More active sites for better hydrogen evolution

flakes of material decorated with tiny particles could prove useful for catalyzing hydrogen generation reactions