Surface science

Material reveals hot ‘super-Planckian’ identity

When heated, a novel photonic crystal appears to emit more coherent light at infrared wavelengths than can be explained by Planck's Law.

Crumpled graphene can detect DNA without amplification

Researchers have found that crumpling graphene makes it more than 10,000 times more sensitive to DNA by creating electrical ‘hotspots’.

Announcing the launch of Best Paper Prizes on Elseviers Leading Polymer Journals

Semiconductors can show facets of metals and superconductors

Researchers have shown that the crystal structure at the surface of semiconductor materials can make them behave like metals and even superconductors.

New rubber-like material could replace human tissue

Researchers have created a new rubber-like material based on plexiglass that could act as a replacement for human tissue in medical procedures.

Peaks and valleys prevent frost formation on any surface

Researchers have shown that modifying any surface with millimeter tall peaks and valleys can reduce frost formation on that surface by 60%.

Carbon nanotubes get into the groove

Researchers have found that small grooves in filter paper can cause single-walled carbon nanotubes to line up side-by-side in 2D films.

More active sites for better hydrogen evolution

flakes of material decorated with tiny particles could prove useful for catalyzing hydrogen generation reactions

Making two-dimensional metals the easy way

easy way to make large, freestanding, thin sheets of metallic materials could open up novel applications in catalysis, flexible electronics, soft robotics

Scientists take steps to grow large-scale sheets of 2D insulator

Using copper as a substrate, scientists have successfully grown atom-thick sheets of hexagonal boron nitride as two-inch diameter crystals.