Materials news, December 2020

Scientists probe mysterious state of 2D superconductors

Scientists have discovered why an anomalous metallic state appears at the superconductor-insulator transition in 2D superconductors.

Hard-carbon anode supports high energy density in sodium-ion battery

Researchers have developed a novel porous, carbon-based anode material that can increase the energy density of sodium-ion batteries.

Topological quantum states found in magic-angle graphene

Researchers have discovered that the electrons in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene can create 'topological quantum states'.

Glass forming by metallic mixtures becomes clearer

Researchers used computer simulations to model the effects of elemental composition on the glass-forming ability of metallic mixtures.

Fabric coated with 2D material can protect against harmful radiation

Researchers have found that fabric coated with the conductive 2D material MXene is highly effective at blocking electromagnetic waves.

New metal alloy algorithm breaks through boundaries

Researchers have found a new way to predict the properties of metal alloys based on reactions at the boundaries between their crystalline grains.

Thermoelectric semiconductor goes against type with antimony doping

When the thermoelectric semiconductor tin monoselenide is doped with antimony, it switches between p-type and n-type as doping increases.

New study helps prevent nickel-rich, single crystal cathodes gliding to a halt

Researchers have discovered that a process known as crystal gliding is responsible for damage to single-crystal, nickel-rich cathodes in batteries.

Bone cathode boosts integrity of sodium-ion battery

By replicating the design of a mammal bone, researchers have improved the structural integrity of the cathode for a sodium-ion battery.

Perovskite crystal bulks up for detecting gamma-rays

Researchers have developed a perovskite crystal that can detect gamma rays and a method to produce it in large volumes.

Don't forget cool use of thermoelectric materials

A team of researchers says it's time to step up efforts to find thermoelectric materials for cooling applications as well as power generation.

Nanosheets and graphene foam provide bridge to wearable micro-supercapacitors

By using nanosheets and graphene foam in an island-bridge design, researchers have developed stretchable micro-supercapacitor arrays.

Boosting solar energy conservation using photoswitches

Improved solar energy storage using a molecular machine

Dual-mode heating and cooling depending on the weather

Nanomaterial-based device that can heat or cool buildings

Flexible battery shows the power of printing

A new flexible, rechargeable, printable silver oxide-zinc battery can provide five to 10 times more power than current lithium-ion batteries.

New fluorescence in carbon nanotubes is worth the wait

Single-walled carbon nanotubes can emit a delayed secondary fluorescence when triggered by a process involving dye molecules and oxygen.

Triangular building blocks fit together to make sturdy membranes

Using triangular-shaped molecular building blocks, researchers have created an ultrathin porous membrane for filtering organic solvents.

New tool maps out quantum landscape of 2D materials

A new tool that uses light to map out the electronic structures of 2D crystals could reveal the capabilities of emerging quantum materials.

Graphene pipe delivers more efficient cooling

Researchers have found that their new graphene-based heat pipe is better at cooling electronics and power systems than a copper-based heat pipe.

New nanomaterial device can blow hot or cold

By switching between two different nanomaterial sheets, engineers have produced a dual-mode heating and cooling device for buildings.

Wayward titanium atom makes crystal a poor thermal conductor

A titanium atom that wants to be in two places at once is responsible for the poor thermal conductivity of the crystalline solid barium titanium sulfide.

New modelling method raises heat on composite materials

Researchers developed a method to create 3D models of the fibers within composite materials, which they used to predict thermal conductivity.

Inorganic material goes soft when cool as a cucumber

Researchers have used nanosheets to create an inorganic material that can be converted from a hard gel to soft matter by changing the temperature.

New cathode and electrolyte power-up magnesium batteries

A magnesium battery with a new cathode and electrolyte can deliver a power density comparable to that of lithium-ion batteries.

Study communicates benefits of antennas made from 2D material

Researchers have shown that flexible, ultrathin antennas made by spraying the 2D material MXene perform almost as well as copper antennas.

Electrons follow serpentine path to new properties

Researchers have imbued electrons with novel properties by forcing them to travel along a serpentine path in a metal oxide nanowire.

MOFs need to be flexible to sieve gases

Researchers have discovered that metal-organic frameworks need to be flexible in order to separate gases efficiently.

Ionic liquid forcefield protects nanoparticles from immune system

Researchers have developed an ionic liquid forcefield that prevents proteins from binding to and tagging therapeutic nanoparticles.

Novel platform takes blended materials down compositional gradients

Researchers have developed a platform that combines a novel electrospray deposition tool with X-ray analysis for studying blended materials.

Plasma processing for rapid perovskite production

Researchers have developed an ultrafast way, based on plasma processing, to produce stable perovskite cells and assemble them into solar modules.

Openings for Editors - Acta Journals

Bilayer graphene quantum dots make waves

Researchers have directly visualized quantum dots in bilayer graphene, revealing the shape of the quantum wave function of the trapped electrons.

New AI system uses closed loop to open up material discovery

A novel AI algorithm called CAMEO was able to discover a potentially useful new material without requiring additional training from scientists.