Materials news, January 2018

Just how nano can carbon go?

Nanotechnology limits on carbon nanotubes.

Conductive textile for flexible lithium batteries

The development of a new lithium-ion conducting ceramic textile could get us a step closer to practical solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Tin-based perovskite solar cells can hold on to hot electrons

A new tin-based perovskite solar cell allows 'hot' electrons to retain their high energy levels for longer than usual, which could help produce more power.

Lithium discovered reversing out of nanoparticles in battery electrodes

Scientists have witnessed the concentration of lithium inside individual nanoparticles in a battery electrode reverse during power generation.

Novel hydrogel offers logical approach to drug delivery

Operating according to simple mathematical logic statements, a novel hydrogel will only release its drug cargo in response to specific physiological cues.

Chemists put a novel twist on carbon nanotube fibers

Twisting films of carbon nanotubes produces short lengths of strong, conductive fibers in about an hour, making this process much faster than spinning.

Black is the new black

Super black birds could inspire meta materials.

Cleaning nanotubes improves their efficiency

Cleaning nanotubes through heat and ion bombardment.

3D printing soft tissue scaffolds

3D printing soft tissue scaffolds.

Cheaper fuel cells with nanomaterials

Using carbon nanotubes and modified graphene nano ribbons in fuel cells.

Neutrons help close the gap between experiment and theory

For the first time, researchers have compared measurements of a class of metals produced by neutron scattering with realistic theoretical calculations.

New nanostructure offers gateway to organic thin-film transistors

A nanostructure made from a fluoropolymer and metal oxide materials allows thin-film transistors to operate with unprecedented stability.

Blue titania turns carbon dioxide into fuel

Photocatalyst based on titanium dioxide can turn carbon dioxide into usable fuel and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Hair-thin OLED fibers

Hair-thin OLED fibers could have fashion and healthcare applications.

Strong and tough nanofibers produced by new process

New technique offers strong and resilient ultrafine polymer fibers with a range of applications.

Water-absorbing MOF can regulate humidity

Scientists have developed a water-absorbing metal-organic framework that can suck up to twice its weight in atmospheric moisture.

Iron-based superconductor in a state over flipping microscope

Researchers have discovered a way to flip an iron-based superconductor between superconducting and non-superconducting states using a microscope.

New process conducts 2D electron gas on gallium arsenide

Researchers have found a way to produce a two-dimensional electron gas between insulating oxides on the semiconductor gallium arsenide.

‘Gyroscope’ crystal spins on the inside

A crystal with an exterior case surrounding a rotating axis is the first proof that a single material can be both static and moving, or amphidynamic.

New alloy catalyst produces fuels without coking

An innovative platinum and copper alloy catalyst can convert methane from shale gas into hydrocarbon fuels without becoming coated in carbon.

Curves and edges could help turn carbon nanomaterials into fuel-cell cathodes

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes or modified graphene nanoribbons could replace the platinum cathodes that currently reduce oxygen in fuel cells.

Novel ultrafine polymer fibers stronger and tougher than Kevlar

A novel process called gel electrospinning can produce ultrafine polymer fibers that are exceptionally strong and tough.

Topological insulator offers smooth way to switch from graphene

The topological insulator trisodium bismuthide can be as electronically smooth as the highest-quality graphene-based devices.

Researchers identify novel facets of colloidal metal nanocrystals

By conducting systematic studies, researchers have provided a quantitative picture of how surface conditions control the growth of metal nanocrystals.

Novel metalens uses nanofins to focus all the colors of the rainbow

Researchers have developed the first single metalens able to focus the entire visible spectrum of light in the same spot and in high resolution.

Carbon nanotube contaminants mess up conductivity

A novel method for removing contaminants from carbon nanotubes has helped to reveal why their electrical properties are so difficult to measure.

Flat NMR in shape for studying nanomaterials

By utilizing flat coils with different shapes, scientists have adapted nuclear magnetic resonance to study nanomaterials and exotic states of matter.

DNA strands direct design of novel polymer materials

Asymmetrical polymer particles imprinted with DNA are able to bind together in a spatially defined manner for use in biomedicine and 'soft robotics'.

Diamene looks like graphene, acts like diamond

Applying pressure at the nanoscale to two layers of graphene transforms them into a super-hard, diamond-like material, termed diamene.

Scientists cover metal ‘mesas’ in graphene

A method for encapsulating metals such as dysprosium and copper in a single layer of graphene could produce materials with novel properties.

Molecules give back some of the energy they take from nanomaterials

The transfer of energy from nanomaterials to molecules can go both ways, causing the nanomaterials to photoluminesce over long timescales.

Quantum material can mimic shark’s sixth sense

Quantum effects allow samarium nickelate to mimic a shark's sixth sense, by detecting minute electric fields in salt water.

Breakable electrode design brings safer batteries for electric cars

Lithium-ion batteries designed to be safer in an accident.

Materials Today takes a special look at research "Down Under"

Read our latest series and find out about materials science researchers in New Zealand and Australia.

Nanogenerator promises blue energy dream

Jellyfish-inspired triboelectric nanogenerator can harvest energy from waves and power sensors that can detect fluctuations in the water surface.

New study finds MOFs have an issue with replicability

Comparing the results reported in thousands of papers about the properties of MOFs revealed that replicability could be a problem in material science.

Scientists create ‘artificial graphene’ from semiconducting materials

Scientists have engineered ‘artificial graphene’ by replicating, for the first time, the electronic structure of graphene with semiconducting materials.

Just add water for carbon capture

Adding water to asphalt-derived porous carbon produces a material that can adsorb more than two times its weight of carbon dioxide.

Eely simply power source

Electric eel inspires energy system for wearables.

Call for Papers: Special Section on Nuclear Materials Data in Nuclear Materials and Energy

Quick, split and make hydrogen from water

Quick, split and make hydrogen from water.

Stretch batteries

Flexible stretchable bacterial bio-batteries.

Gold nanorods and iron nanoparticles come together for biomedical applications

Researchers have found a simple way to deposit magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles onto silica-coated gold nanorods for biomedical applications.

3D tattoos for chemical sensing

3D tattoos light up for chemical sensing.

Isotopically pure hyperlens material can smash diffraction limit

A new hyperlens crystal made from hexagonal boron nitride with isotopically pure boron can resolve features as small as 30nm in size.

Nanodevice acts as improved DNA detector

Improved DNA detection using nanopore sensors.

Heating boosts graphene’s conductivity

Two-step thermal reduction process boosts conductivity and mobility of reduced graphene oxide (RGO), opening up new potential applications.

Metallic glass nanotubes promise novel properties

Fabrication of the first-ever metallic glass nanotube arrays on a Si substrate by a simple lithography and sputter deposition process.

Solar energy harnessed by new 'double-glazing' approach

Solar power device like a double-glazed window offers new approach.

New insight into battery charging supports development of improved electric vehicles

First technique capable of determining lithium metal plating during lithium ion battery charging reported in Materials Today.

New method shines light on thin-film perovskites

A new method based on vaporizing a frozen solution with a laser can create hybrid thin-film materials that would otherwise be impossible to make.

Prof. Sinan Keten announced as 2017 JMBBM Early Career Researcher Award winner

Stretchable, twistable textile-based biobatteries become a reality

Batteries powered by sweat made completely from fabric

Nanocomposite hits the right note for bone repair

Novel bioactive nanocomposite hydrogel based on hyaluronic acid and self-assembled bisphosphonate-magnesium nanoparticles facilitates bone regeneration.

Ultrafast cooling produces strong and ductile printed metal parts

A new technique for 3D printing metals, which utilizes ultrafast cooling, can produce components with exceptional levels of strength and ductility.

Plasma process offers fine control over diamond properties

Adding a tiny amount of boron to a carbon-containing plasma can alter the grain size and electrical properties of the diamond film produced by the plasma.

Cathode study shows road to better batteries for electric cars

Using analytical techniques, scientists have discovered how the atomic structure of lithium-rich battery cathodes evolves during charging and discharging.

Materials Today ‘How Many Marbles in a Jar’ Competition Winner

Charred polymers produce precise graphene nanoribbons

Scientists have developed a new method for produce semiconducting graphene nanoribbons by heating a specially-prepared polymer.

Interface mismatch causes growth of tiny nanowires in 2D materials

Scientists have determined the mechanisms that cause tiny wires of molybdenum disulfide to extend into tungsten diselenide at their interface.

Textile-based biobattery produces power at full stretch

Scientists have developed an entirely textile-based, bacteria-powered bio-battery that could one day be integrated into wearable electronics.

Stacked semiconductors can become cool topological insulators

Scientists have produced a ‘topological excitonic insulator’ for the first time by cooling stacked semiconductors to below 10K.