Materials Science News - SciTechDaily

MnBi2Te4 Unveiled: A Breakthrough in Quantum and Optical Memory Technology

Sarah C.P. Williams, University of Chicago — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 17:11:54 +0000

Researchers at the University of Chicago have made strides in developing an optical memory using MnBi2Te4, a magnetic topological insulator with properties that respond rapidly to light. This discovery could revolutionize data storage, making it faster and more energy-efficient. The material also exhibits a unique duality in electronic states, balancing between a quantum encoding state [...]

Two Mile Long X-Ray Laser Opens New Windows Into a Mysterious State of Matter

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 13:51:01 +0000

Physicists have made significant strides in understanding warm dense matter using the European XFEL, observing its transformation under intense X-ray pulses. The properties of warm dense matter have until recently been little known. Now, thanks to the use of X-ray lasers, physicists are gaining more and more information about this important but still mysterious state [...]

Low-Cost and Eco-Friendly: UCLA Engineers Develop Innovative New Building Cooling Technology

University of California, Los Angeles — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 12:04:25 +0000

A low-cost method uses common building materials that absorb or radiate heat to regulate temperature. As global temperatures increase, the demand for sustainable cooling solutions is also on the rise. A team of researchers from UCLA and their collaborators have developed a cost-effective and scalable method to cool buildings during the summer and heat them [...]

Solving the Doping Problem: Physicists Have Discovered New Ways To Improve Organic Semiconductors

University of Cambridge — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 00:48:08 +0000

Scientists have enhanced organic semiconductors by achieving groundbreaking electron removal and leveraging non-equilibrium state properties, potentially boosting thermoelectric device efficiency. Cavendish physicists have discovered two new ways to improve organic semiconductors. They found a way to remove more electrons from the material than previously possible and used unexpected properties in an environment known as the [...]

Breaking Boundaries: Enhancing Catalysis With Co-Cu Alloy Nanoparticles

Science China Press — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 21:21:10 +0000

Scientists have developed Co-Cu alloy nanoparticles that efficiently activated chemical reactions for pollutant degradation, outperforming traditional methods and providing insights into atomic-level interactions in catalysts. Recent research has focused on the combined effects of atomic clusters (ACs) or nanoparticles (NPs) and single atoms. However, prior studies have typically concentrated on basic interactions between pure NPs [...]

Researchers Solve Long-Standing Piezoelectric Material Challenge

North Carolina State University — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 23:55:40 +0000

A new technique developed by researchers enables the restoration of crucial properties in piezoelectric materials at room temperature, streamlining repairs and extending the lifespan of ultrasound and sonar devices. Heat and pressure can degrade the properties of piezoelectric materials essential for advanced ultrasound and sonar technologies. Traditionally, repairing this damage has involved disassembling the devices [...]

MXenes Decoded: First Atomic-Level View Unlocks Endless Possibilities

Drexel University — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 00:48:40 +0000

Drexel and UCLA researchers conduct the first scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy analysis of a unique 2D material. Advanced imaging techniques have revealed the complex surface chemistry of MXenes, a promising material for energy and telecommunications applications, potentially leading to customized functionalities for specific uses. In the decade since their discovery at Drexel University, the [...]

Nano-Enhanced Sodium Carbonate Breaks Barriers in Carbon Capture

Chiba University — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 13:10:00 +0000

Scientists have developed a carbon nanocomposite using sodium carbonate that significantly improves carbon dioxide from industrial emissions. Industrial emissions are one of the main sources of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading greenhouse gas implicated in climate change. While adopting renewable and clean energy alternatives is one option for mitigating these carbon emissions, carbon capture technology [...]

Never-Before-Seen Resolution: Advanced Microscopy Sheds Light on Mysterious Magnetic Fields

Hitachi R&D — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 05:25:16 +0000

Techniques for acquiring images and correcting defocusing now allow the observation of atomic-scale magnetic fields with never-before-seen resolution. A research team from Japan, comprising scientists from Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE 6501, Hitachi), Kyushu University, RIKEN, and HREM Research Inc. (HREM), has made a significant breakthrough in observing magnetic fields at extraordinarily small scales. In collaboration with [...]

New Microscope Unlocks Hidden Atomic Architecture in Advanced Materials

University of Sydney — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 17:11:51 +0000

Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a new microscopy method using atom probe tomography to explore atomic-level changes in materials, promising significant advances in materials science and engineering. A new microscopy technique enables researchers to observe minute changes in the atomic structure of crystalline materials, such as advanced steels used in shipbuilding and [...]

Scientists Discover New Class of Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Naval Research Laboratory — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:05:13 +0000

NRL scientists have discovered new semiconductor nanocrystals with bright ground-state excitons, potentially revolutionizing light-emitting devices and resolving the dark-exciton problem. Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have confirmed the identification of a new class of semiconductor nanocrystals with bright ground-state excitons. This significant advancement in optoelectronics was recently published in the American Chemical [...]

Weaving Light: Unraveling the Quantum Lattice of Kagome Metals

Amy Walden, Florida State University — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 04:26:13 +0000

A study focused on cesium vanadium antimonide, a Kagome metal, has shown its potential in enhancing nano-optics by generating unique plasmon polaritons. These findings could advance optical communication and sensing technologies. In traditional Japanese basket-weaving, the ancient “Kagome” design, notable for its symmetrical arrangement of interlaced triangles with shared corners, graces many handcrafted items. Similarly, [...]

Atomic ‘GPS’: Quantum Material Transitions Captured in First-Ever Atomic Movies

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:24:53 +0000

Scientists developed a technique to create atomic movies that show the transition of a quantum material from insulator to metal, discovering a new material phase and advancing the understanding of material properties with significant implications for material design. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have created the first-ever atomic movies [...]

125 Years After Its Discovery, Actinium’s Chemistry Still Baffles Scientists

Lauren Biron, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 18:31:01 +0000

A study at Berkeley Lab has revealed new insights into actinium, an element critical for emerging cancer treatments. By examining its crystal structure, researchers have noted unique properties that could enhance targeted alpha therapy, a promising method in cancer treatment. Although the element actinium was first discovered at the turn of the 20th century, researchers [...]

Revolutionizing Data Storage: How 3D Metamaterials and Tiny Magnetic Bubbles Could Change Everything

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 13:55:22 +0000

Researchers stored bit sequences in cylindrical magnetic domains, using 3D metamaterials. This innovation could transform data storage and magnetoelectronics. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that not just individual bits, but entire bit sequences can be stored in cylindrical domains: tiny, cylindrical areas measuring just around 100 nanometers. As the team reports in the [...]

Microscopic Building Blocks: New Dual-Functional Supramolecular Structures Unveiled

Yokohama National University — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 06:31:37 +0000

A recent study by Yokohama National University has introduced a groundbreaking methodology in materials science, achieving the self-assembly of dual-pore molecular crystals using advanced sorting techniques. This innovation paves the way for the development of multifunctional materials with diverse applications. Versatile molecular frameworks known as discrete supramolecular structures function as customizable microscopic building blocks for [...]

Defying Damage: New Theory Unlocks Secrets of Fracture Resistance

Politecnico di Milano — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:10:02 +0000

New research has uncovered the fracture mechanisms in soft materials, leading to potential advancements in creating durable, defect-free materials with wide-reaching benefits across various industries and positive environmental impacts. A groundbreaking theory has unveiled the physical mechanisms behind fractures in soft materials. This revolutionary discovery promises the development of defect-free materials with enhanced resistance and [...]

New Research Shatters Old Beliefs About Gold Nanoparticles and Cancer

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:21:07 +0000

Research overturns old views on gold nanoparticles, showing larger, star-shaped ones are most effective against cancer, leading to a model that improves therapy design. Scientists have previously assumed that the smaller the nanoparticles used to fight the cancer cells, the faster they die. The logic behind this theory is that small nanoparticles would simply find [...]

Unlocking the Power of Light With Advanced Metasurfaces for High-Speed Wireless Communication

Kimm Fesenmaier, California Institute of Technology — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 08:03:11 +0000

Caltech engineers have introduced an innovative metasurface that manipulates light to provide multiple communication channels at optical frequencies. This technology promises to enhance data transmission in various fields including space communications and LiDAR, moving beyond traditional electronic methods and offering substantial bandwidth improvements. Revolutionizing Wireless Communication With Metasurfaces It is a scene many of us [...]

Physicists Rewrite Quantum Rules – New Theories Could Revolutionize Materials Science

Trinity College Dublin — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 19:46:07 +0000

Physicists at Trinity College Dublin have advanced quantum mechanics, enabling better simulations and potential breakthroughs in green technologies. Grasping the precise energy landscapes of quantum particles can significantly enhance the accuracy of computer simulations for material sciences. These simulations are instrumental in developing advanced materials for applications in physics, chemistry, and sustainable technologies. The research [...]

Quantum Breakthrough: 1.58 Dimensions Unlock Zero-Loss Energy Efficiency

Utrecht University — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 13:47:40 +0000

Fractals might solve energy waste in information processing. Topological insulators, capable of transmitting electricity without loss, may function in fractional dimensions such as 1.58. This breakthrough, combined with room-temperature operability, paves the way for advancements in quantum computing and energy efficiency through fractal structures. What if we could find a way to make electric currents [...]

DOE Researchers Discover New Cheaper, and More Efficient Way To Produce Important Chemical

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 10:06:48 +0000

Combining zirconium with silicon nitride improves the transformation of propane, a component of natural gas, into polypropylene, a highly sought-after plastic. Polypropylene is a widely used plastic found in numerous everyday items, including food containers and medical devices. Due to its popularity, there is an increasing demand for propylene, a chemical essential for its production. [...]

Molecular Marvels: Scientists Revolutionize UV Sensing With Smart Technology

Higher Education Press — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:16:59 +0000

Scientists have developed a flexible, reusable optical fiber for UV detection, promising enhanced integration with smart devices and advancing UV monitoring technologies. The old saying “the dose makes the poison” applies equally to ultraviolet (UV) light. While UV light is essential for vitamin D production, shows promising results in phototherapy, and plays a role in [...]

Solid-State Cooling: A Future Without Refrigerants

Scott Gibson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 17:16:00 +0000

Researchers have made significant advancements in understanding atomic-scale heat motion in materials, crucial for developing solid-state cooling technology. This technology, which operates without traditional refrigerants or moving parts, uses materials like nickel-cobalt-manganese-indium magnetic shape-memory alloys to exploit the magnetocaloric effect for efficient cooling. A crucial knowledge gap in atomic-scale heat motion was recently bridged by [...]