Materials news, April 2017

Could dye-sensitised solar cells work in the dark?

Chinese researchers believe they’ve gotten a step closer to producing all-weather photovoltaics by integrating phosphors into solar cells.

Special Issue: Extracellular Matrix Proteins and Mimics

Elsevier Editors Awarded at Society for Biomaterials 2017 Annual Meeting

Elsevier Editors claimed awards at Society for Biomaterials 2017 Annual Meeting.

Open source hardware: first issue of HardwareX now available

Explore the first issue of HardwareX.

Block copolymers offer standard way to produce tiny wires

Using block copolymers on chemically-patterned templates, scientists have developed a new way to create some of the world's thinnest wires.

Air conditioning without the AC

Meta material for cooling without the energy input.

Radical approach gets polymerization just right

Advances in polymerization have enabled their use in cosmetics, drugs, biomedical devices, paints, coatings, adhesives, and microelectronics

First flexible microprocessor produced from layered materials

Scientists have produced the first fully-functional microprocessor logic devices built from few-atom-thick layered materials.

Topological superconductivity in 2D materials could boost quantum computing

New research suggests that transition metal dichalcogenides could realize topological superconductivity and provide a platform for quantum computing.

Graphene helps stem cells to differentiate

Stem cells can be turned into Schwann-like cells by growing them on printed, multi-layer graphene circuits and treating them with electricity.

Defective diamonds combine for quantum leap forward

Scientists have succeeded in coupling together the specific defects in two separate diamonds, which could lead to novel quantum technology.

Next-generation transistors revealed in print

Scientists have fabricated printed transistors consisting entirely of the layered materials graphene, tungsten diselenide and boron nitride.

Gray tin exhibits colorful electronic properties

Gray tin exhibits a novel electronic phase when its crystal structure is strained, making it one of the few examples of a topological Dirac semi-metal.

Chemistry behind bars

Crystalline clathrates templated with DNA.

Nano Today Award 2017

Submit your nomination for the 2017 Nano Today Award.

Iron's cool orange glow

Iron complex shows iron-involved photoluminescence.

Sustainable seaweed for supercapacitors

Sustainable seaweed for supercapacitors.

Liquid metal alloy produces touch-sensitive fibers

Using polymer strands that contain a liquid metal alloy, scientists have developed elastic, touch-sensitive fibers.

Sulphur guides carbon nanotube assembly on gold electrodes

A new method can select semiconducting carbon nanotubes from a solution and make them self-assemble on a circuit of gold electrodes.

New water-repellent coating can survive burning and scratching

A new self-healing, water-repellent, spray-on coating is hundreds of times more durable than its counterparts.

Researchers 'iron out' graphene's wrinkles

Scientists have found a way to make graphene with fewer wrinkles, and to iron out those wrinkles that do still appear.

Tuned graphene nanoribbons

Tuned graphene nanoribbons take a seat.

New injection process gives graphene nanoribbons the edge

Injecting charge carriers can promote a chemical reaction that converts a polymer precursor into a graphene nanoribbon.

Inspired by fish: Designing a high-performance, flexible armour

A group of Canadian researchers have investigated the optimal design for lightweight armour, using 3D printing and mechanical testing.

Sky’s the limit for ‘fuzzy fibers’

‘Fuzzy fibers’ of silicon carbide that act like Velcro can strengthen the composites used in advanced rocket engines.

Making capacitors and capturing carbon dioxide… using Coca Cola®

An international consortium are using the world’s most popular soft drink to produce a host of carbon-based storage materials.

Carbon nanotubes help clean up contaminated water

Enhanced single-walled carbon nanotubes are more effective at cleaning up contaminated water than conventional materials like silica gel.

Throwing light on nanomaterial photocatalysts

Gold nanoparticles have helped to reveal how to improve the light-harvesting abilities of a silver nanocatalytic material.

Computational method produces maps of material islands

A new computational method can map how molecules assemble and crystallize to form novel materials.

Carbon nanotubes reduce need for platinum in electrocatalysts

A novel carbon nanotube-based electrocatalyst uses just one hundredth of the amount of platinum generally used in electrocatalysts.

Boat-shape gives novel form of GeSe promising electronic properties

A new form of gallium(II) selenide with a boat-like conformation has a semiconducting band gap that could make it useful in electronic devices.

Thinnest silver film displays multiple abilities

The thinnest, smoothest layer of silver ever made could find use in touchscreens, optical computing and metamaterial superlenses.

Julie Macpherson receives Royal Society Innovation Award

For work exploring boron doped diamond as a pH and chlorine sensor for water safety.

Confined liquid crystals could make handy sensors

Lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals exhibit unexpected characteristics that could be harnessed for use in sensors.

Block copolymers guide fabrication of next-generation computer chips

A new self-assembly technique using block copolymers can produce some of the narrowest wires yet for use on computer chips.

Flexible glass could take medical devices to next level

A new way to make glass bend and flex could allow for the development of lab-on-a-chip devices that work at the nanoscale.

New filter finding gives pores for thought

Subtle adjustments in the manufacture of a polymer-based carbon sorbent can optimize either carbon capture or methane flow.

Raise the flag for new phase of semiconducting nanowires

When heated to about 450°C, two-dimensional molybdenum ditelluride 'stripes' unexpectedly turn into one-dimensional 'stars'.

Nanotube films improve stability of perovskite solar cells

Scientists have shown that films of carbon nanotubes can improve the long term stability of perovskite solar cells.

Introducing Materials Today Physics

Cutting edge research at the interface between physics and materials science.

Scientists grow ultra-selective membrane from nanocrystal seed

Scientists have developed a one-step, crystal growth process for making ultra-thin layers of material with molecular-sized pores.

Gender parity in physical sciences lags behind

Wide-reaching analysis finds more women in research but physical sciences are lagging behind.

2017 Charles Hatchett Award winners announced

Find out about the winners and read their paper, for free.

Solar fuels given boost by materials discovery

Renewable energy realized through new metal oxides using high-throughput computation and experiment

Harnessing disorder to create ordered patterns in polymer films

Nanoparticles can be arranged into defined patterns in ultrathin polymer films using entropy rather than chemistry.