Materials news, August 2017

Scientists surprised to find quasicrystals in silica nanoparticles

Using electron microscopy, scientists have discovered that silica nanoparticles form quasicrystals as they grow and evolve.

Interpenetrating polymers produce candy cane supercapacitor

By interpenetrating two polymers, scientists have developed a novel supercapacitor that is flexible and can store a lot of charge very quickly.

New rubber material has craze-y self-healing ability

By incorporating reversible bonds, scientists have developed a new type of rubber that is as tough as natural rubber but can also self-heal.

Resolving the material confusion in lithium-air batteries

Detailed tests have helped to reveal why one promising material added to the electrolyte of lithium-air batteries doesn't work as well as expected.

Co-special Issue-Open Hardware in Research

Why a joint offering between Microelectronic Engineering and HardwareX?

Gluing boron sheets produces novel porous foam

Scientists have created a light foam from two-dimensional sheets of hexagonal-boron nitride that absorbs carbon dioxide.

Massless magnets

Massless magnets.

European team tunes LEDs

European team tunes LEDs.

Chameleon materials

Color-shifting electronic skin for wearables, prosthetics.

Bioactive origami with "tissue" paper

Bioactive origami with "tissue" paper.

Useful hybrid photoactive materials produced

Hybrid photoactive materials with more stable and more rigid dyes obtained.

Nanomanufacturing made quicker

Simultaneous design and nanomanufacturing speeds up fabrication.

Microbots that use magnetism to capture cells

Microbot origami helps tiny devices move and capture cells.

Dr. Sebastian Groh named winner of the Renewable Transformation Challenge

Dr. Sebastian Groh named winner of the inaugural Renewable Transformation Challenge.

Machine learning sets boundaries for new metal materials

Scientists have used machine learning to gain insight into the physical structures associated with specific properties of metals and alloys.

Porous graphene material sails towards supercapacitors

A novel process can convert carbon dioxide into 3D graphene with micropores across its surface, which could make an ideal supercapacitor material.

New nanomanufacturing technique puts wrinkles into solar cells

Scientists have simultaneously designed an optimal material for light management in solar cells and fabricated the nanostructured surfaces.

Hybrid materials light up with new properties

Scientists have developed various hybrid, photoactive materials that respond in different ways when exposed to excitation light.

Researchers unlock the secrets of dragonfly wings

Understanding the design principles of dragonfly wings could help improve the design of artificial wings on micro-air vehicles.

Uncoiled chains lead to heat-dissipating plastics

Expanding and straightening the molecular chains in plastics makes it easier for heat to pass through them.

Chitin and copper combine to ward off bacterial biofilms

A new material made from the biomolecule chitin and a copper metal-organic framework can inhibit the formation of bacterial biofilms.

Polymer bonds with 2D material under pressure to store energy

A composite of a polymer and a 2D material can store energy at operating temperatures well above current commercial polymers.

New research shows graphene can grow on trees

Scientists have used a laser to turn the surface of pine wood into a form of graphene, potentially offering a way to produce biodegradable electronics.

Collective rattling blocks heat transfer in crystalline semiconductor

A newly discovered collective rattling effect in a crystalline semiconductor blocks most heat transfer while preserving high electrical conductivity.

Crystal gels form like ice crystals in clouds

For the first time, scientists have observed the formation of a crystal gel with particle-level resolution.

Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering publishes 1st volume

Journal of Immunology and Regenerative Medicine is now open for submissions

Find out more about Journal of Immunology and Regenerative Medicine.

SSRN launches ChemRN - a working paper repository and preprint server

The Chemistry Research Network.

Citrine Partners with Elsevier on Shape Memory Alloy Datasets

Learn more about Citrine Informatics' partnership with Elsevier and Acta Materialia Inc.

Scientists watch as nanocrystals quickly assemble into superlattices

Scientists have made the first observation of nanocrystals rapidly forming superlattices while they are themselves still growing.

Catalytic activity bubbles up in 2D materials

Scientists have predicted and created new 2D electrocatalysts able to extract hydrogen from water with high performance and low cost.

Topological insulators prove less insulating than theory suggests

Defects in the structure of topological insulators can cause electron transport to occur in the bulk rather than just at the surface.

Novel technique patterns nanomaterials directly with light

Using chemical coatings that react with light, scientists have developed a new way to precisely pattern nanomaterials.

Insect wings inspire antibacterial coatings

Naturally occurring fatty acids that cover insect wings can be used to form ‘mechanobactericidal’ coating.

Meet the Editor: Peer Review from the Biomaterials Editors’ Perspective with Prof. Kam Leong and Prof. Abhay Pandit

Editors’ Perspective with Prof. Kam Leong and Prof. Abhay Pandit.

Slug-inspired adhesive can stick to wet biological tissues

A new super-strong ‘tough adhesive’ is biocompatible and binds firmly to biological tissues even when they're wet.

Spongy photocatalyst selects just carbon monoxide

A novel light-activated material can chemically convert carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide without generating unwanted by-products.

Grain rotations prevent nanoscale metal films from being perfectly flat

The granules in copper can never fit together perfectly and so are forced to rotate, causing an unexpected level of surface roughness.

Electrons break symmetry in cuprate superconductors

The symmetry-breaking flow of electrons through cuprate superconductors may be linked to their ability to work at comparatively high temperatures.

Nerve agents give 2D material a funny turn

Monolayer 2D transition metal dichalcogenides undergo a phase change from semiconductor to metallic when exposed to airborne chemicals.

Sulfur-containing polymers ‘click’ with new reaction

Using 'click chemistry', scientists have developed an efficient way to make sulfur-containing polymers that will lower the cost of large-scale production.

Electric stimulus lights up carbon nanorings and iodine

Using a novel method, scientists have design a material that conducts electricity and emits white light when exposed to electricity.

Novel boron-doped carbon material heats up superconductivity

Researchers have significantly increased the temperature at which carbon-based materials can act as superconductors.

Publishing Workshop at ERPOS 2017

Learn about Elsevier's publishing workshop at ERPOS 2017.

New finding suggests elasticity can be controlled by magnetic fields

Under certain conditions, the magnetic properties of a material can predict the relationship between its elasticity and temperature.

Molecular pulleys hold silicon anodes together in lithium-ion batteries

Scientists have used a molecular pulley binder to create high-capacity silicon anodes for use in lithium-ion batteries.

Nature-inspired materials break down after use

Researchers have developed supramolecular materials that spontaneously assemble themselves and then disintegrate after use.

Researchers develop search engine for topological insulators

By combining tools from chemistry, mathematics, physics and materials science, researchers have found a way to identify novel topological insulators.

Glass transition starts at higher temperatures than originally supposed

Studies of the connection between viscosity and atomic interactions have revealed that glass transition starts at higher temperatures than thought.

Hydrogel coating produces more comfortable, enhanced medical elastomers

Scientists have developed a way to coat a hydrogel onto elastomer-based medical devices to provide a softer, more slippery exterior.

2D materials make the grade for faster electronics

Quality control tool for MoS2 promises improved 2D material for next generation electronics and optoelectronics.

Conductive polymer fibers support new applications

Nanofibrous, conductive polymer structure mimics the properties of natural extracellular matrix to support regeneration of heart tissue.

Oxygen robs iron alloys of strength at high temperatures

Reducing oxygen in some nanocrystalline alloys may improve their strength and durability at elevated temperatures.

Quantum phase transition shown experimentally for first time

By taking advantage of strontium copper borate, scientists have shown experimentally a quantum phase transition for the first time.