Materials news, December 2018

Scientists find two ways to get more catalytic bang out of platinum

A novel fuel cell catalyst comprising cobalt-platinum alloy nanoparticles on a composite substrate uses much less platinum than current catalysts.

Insight into spider silk proteins

Natural spider silk gives up some of its secrets

Gelatin puts jiggle in new water-splitting catalyst

A new catalyst made of nanometer-thin sheets of metal carbide can generate hydrogen from water just as efficiently as platinum-based catalysts.

Arrow-like bubbles produced of distinct sizes

Microfluidic foam generation system for enabling customizable and "wet" foams in tiny amounts

New study shows unconventional metals can go out of bounds

Using laser light to trap atoms in a checkerboard-like pattern, scientists have studied how resistance can develop in unconventional metals.

Researchers develop incredible shrinking nanofabrication process

By patterning and then shrinking a polymer scaffold, researchers have come up with a way to fabricate nanoscale, 3D objects of nearly any shape.

Nanoglue helps composite to toughen up when under strain

Oscillating loads at certain frequencies can lead to several-fold increases in the strength of composites that contain a molecular layer of ‘nanoglue’.

Novel biomaterial employs enzymes for industrial production

Researchers have modified two enzymes so that they self-assemble to form a stable catalytic biomaterial that can be used in industrial production.

Moth helps develop nano-antibiotics

Moth helps develop nano-antibiotics

Nuclear Materials & Energy now indexed in science citation index expanded.

Nuclear Materials & Energy has been accepted for indexing in Clarivate’s Science Citation Index Expanded.

Building blocks can line up to avoid nucleation barrier

By studying how peptides assemble, researchers have discovered that some materials can avoid the nucleation barrier by growing one row at a time.

New study throws switch on topological transistors

Scientists have demonstrated electronic switching in an ultrathin topological material that can carry a charge with nearly zero loss at room temperature.

Nano Today 2019 cover competition extended

Due to popular demand, Nano Today is extending the deadline of its annual cover competition.

Light-emitting nanocrystals stimulate brain-like computing

Conventional computers could be replaced by massively parallel, low energy, more intelligent brain-like processors using artificial synaptic devices

Scientists find way to explore ‘far side’ of superconducting phase diagram

Using oxygen doping, scientists have uncovered previously inaccessible details of the phase diagram of a high-temperature superconductor.

Kinetics-controlled, same protocol, different shape Pt nanocrystals production for optimized catalytic activity

same-protocol-different-shape-pt-nanocrystals

Novel polymer blend is hot stuff for electronics

Scientists have developed a blend of two polymers, one conducting and one insulating, that can conduct electricity at temperatures up to 220°C.

New way to help 2D sensors hug the curve

Engineers have developed a method for making atom-flat sensors from 2D materials and then transferring them to curved surfaces.

Novel X-ray imaging technique could lead spintronics into new domains

A novel x-ray technique can image antiphase magnetic domains in antiferromagnets, which could advance their use in spintronics applications.

COBRA reveals atomic structure of perovskites

Using an x-ray visualization technique called COBRA, scientists have imaged the 3D atomic and electron density structure of a perovskite crystal.

2018 Materials Today Innovation Award winner announced

Congratulations to Prof M Stanley Whittingham.

Metal Additive Manufacturing: Microstructures and Properties: Current research.

Chirpy dolphins help inspire new technique for characterizing soft materials

Inspired by animal chirps, engineers have devised a faster and more accurate rheological technique for measuring the properties of soft materials.

Magnetic frustration

Magnetic frustration, kagome magnet

Novel perovskite material can produce white light

By adding sodium to a lead-free all-inorganic perovskite, physicists have produced a single material that can produce white light.

2D materials, row by row

2D peptide materials, row by row

Introducing the MatSciRn – the Materials Science Research Network

Magnetic fields allow liquid crystal elastomers to follow the sun

Scientists have used magnetic fields to create liquid crystal elastomers that can move in any direction in response to multiple types of stimuli.

Scientists stretch to develop new auxetic material

Scientists have developed a liquid crystal elastomer with auxetic properties, meaning it gets thicker when stretched.

Aldo R. Boccaccini Editor-in-Chief, Materials Letters, in the list of Highly Cited Researchers 2018

Echolocation for soft materials

Echolocation for soft materials

Borophene set to make it big

Physicists have synthesized borophene with large-area single-crystal domains on copper substrates, making it suitable for electronic applications.

Materials Today Workshop at Harvard

Light finds new way to interact with gold nanoparticles

Circularly polarized light delivered at a particular angle to C-shaped gold nanoparticles produced a plasmonic response unlike any discovered before.

Multiferroics and topological materials usher in MESO era of computing

Multiferroics and topological materials have produced a new energy-efficient transistor called a magneto-electric spin-orbit (MESO) device.

Silicon contamination preventing graphene from achieving its potential

Scientists have discovered that silicon contamination is the reason why graphene often doesn't perform as well as predicted.

New microparticle imaging technique creates quite an impact

Researchers have accomplished the first detailed high-speed imaging and analysis of the process that occurs when a microparticle impacts a surface.

Metal atoms bridge the gaps between carbon nanotubes

bridging the gaps between aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes with metal atoms boosts electrical conductivity in a new direction

Small particles act smart against superbugs

Nanoantibiotics could provide new ways of treating drug-resistant 'superbugs' and reducing the amounts of traditional antibiotics used

A highly stretchable carbon nanotubes/thermoplastic polyurethane fiber-shaped strain sensor with porous structure for human motion monitoring

An easily produced flexible strain-sensing material could promote advances in wearable motion-sensing devices

Switch from insulator to conductor leaves atoms behind

A novel thin-film material can rapidly transition from an electricity-transmitting metal to an insulator without changing its atomic structure.

Nanosized holes make graphene manufacturing easy

making tiny, nanoscale holes into graphene sheets and removing them again could hold the key to manufacturing high-quality structures