Materials chemistry news, December 2021

New printing skin method helps heal chronic wounds

New material simulates all three layers of skin

Nickel rides at crest of a catalytic wave to create nanoribbons

Researchers have found that a nickel nanoparticle can catalyze the speedy synthesis of bilayer nanoribbons of molybdenum disulfide.

Particles overcome repulsion to form liquid-like cluster crystals

Particles made of an organic polymer core covered in DNA molecules can come together to form a material with properties of both a crystal and a liquid.

Soft joints let hard crystals stretch to fit

By incorporating soft joints, researchers have created a new type of porous, carbon-based crystals that can stretch to more than twice their length.

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 electrolyte prevents unwanted reactions in sodium-sulfur battery

By diluting a salt solution with an inert solvent, researchers have developed a syrupy electrolyte for longer-lasting sodium-sulfur batteries.

Machine learning raises temperature on material properties

A combination of quantum mechanics and machine learning can accurately predict the reduction temperature of metal oxides to their base metals.

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

New organic material glows in the dark for longer

By applying a new strategy for combining carbon-based molecules, researchers developed an organic material that can emit light for over an hour in air.

Guest molecule helps to manufacture organic solar cells

By using a small guest molecule, researchers have managed to produce energy-efficient organic solar cells using eco-friendly solvents.

Novel glass-like hydrogel is 'super-jelly'

Researchers have developed a polymer hydrogel that looks and feels like a squishy jelly, but acts like an ultra-hard, shatterproof glass when compressed.