Smart micelles for marine environments

A polymeric material that changes its structure when immersed in salt water could help protect ships and marine structures.

Membrane transport - A molecular 'straw'

Powered by a proton gradient, a world-first helical molecule transports water across membranes.

Thermal properties of nanowires - Follow the heat

Calculations reveal how mixtures of different elements can control the thermal properties of nanowires.

Promising thermo-magnetic data-storage technology with nanoislands

Detailed experiments reveal the operational parameters for a promising thermo-magnetic data-storage technology.

Researchers achieve an unprecedented level of control over defects in liquid crystals (w/video)

Scientists have achieved an unprecedented level of control over defects in liquid crystals that can be engineered for applications in liquid matter photonics.

Natural nanocrystals shown to strengthen concrete

Cellulose nanocrystals derived from industrial byproducts have been shown to increase the strength of concrete, representing a potential renewable additive to improve the ubiquitous construction material.

Skin tough

Researchers have recorded the first direct observations of the micro-scale mechanisms behind the ability of skin to resist tearing. The results could be applied to the improvement of artificial skin, or to the development of thin film polymers for flexible electronics.

Extremely sensitive temperature sensor developed with plant nanobionic materials

In order to develop an extremely sensitive temperature sensor, scientists took a close look at temperature-sensitive plants. However, they did not mimic the properties of the plants; instead, they developed a hybrid material that contains, in addition to synthetic components, the plant cells themselves.

Graphene lightbulb to go on sale later this year

A graphene lightbulb with lower energy emissions, longer lifetime and lower manufacturing costs has been launched thanks to a University of Manchester research and innovation partnership.

A quantum sensor for nanoscale electron transport

In an experiment, scientists used nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond to sense the properties of magnetic field noise tens of nanometers away from the silver samples.

Microsecond Raman imaging might probe cells, organs for disease

A vibrational spectroscopic imaging technology that can take images of living cells could represent an advanced medical diagnostic tool for the early detection of cancer and other diseases.

Biomedical researchers convert microbubbles to nanoparticles

Biomedical researchers have successfully converted microbubble technology already used in diagnostic imaging into nanoparticles that stay trapped in tumours to potentially deliver targeted, therapeutic payloads.

High-tech method allows rapid imaging of functions in living brain

Researchers studying cancer and other invasive diseases rely on high-resolution imaging to see tumors and other activity deep within the body's tissues. Using a new high-speed, high-resolution imaging method, researchers were able to see blood flow, blood oxygenation, oxygen metabolism and other functions inside a living mouse brain at faster rates than ever before.

Physicists report technology with potential for sub-micron optical switches

A team of scientists believes that its technology could result in optical switches with sub-square-micron footprints, potentially allowing densely packed switching fabrics on a chip.

Prototype nanoneedles generate new blood vessels in mice

Scientists have developed tiny nanoneedles that have successfully prompted parts of the body to generate new blood vessels, in a trial in mice.

Researchers develop molecular DNA backbone of super-slim, bendable digital displays

A new study suggests that a novel DNA-peptide structure can be used to produce thin, transparent, and flexible screens.

Next important step toward quantum computer with quantum dots

Scientists have have succeeded in linking two different quantum systems.

Graphene field-effect transistor is key to faster DNA sequencing

Graphene looks to hold the key to real-time, high throughput DNA sequencing, a technique that would revolutionise medical research and testing.

3D imaging of objects with details as small as 25 nanometers

Scientists have created 3D images of tiny objects showing details down to 25 nanometres. In addition to the shape, the scientists determined how particular chemical elements were distributed in their sample and whether these elements were in a chemical compound or in their pure state.

Split x-ray flash shows rapid processes

New method should make more precise experiments on x-ray lasers possible.

Fascinating quantum transport on a surface

Topological insulators are an exceptional group of materials. Their interior acts as an insulator, but the surface conducts electricity extremely well. Scientists now could measure this for the first time directly, with extremely high temporal resolution and at room temperature. In addition, they succeeded to influence the direction of the surface currents with a polarized laser beam.

Wrapping carbon nanotubes in polymers enhances their performance

Scientists developed a technique that 'exfoliates' aggregated clumps of CNTs and disperses them in solvents. It involves wrapping the tubes in a polymer using a bond that does not involve the sharing of electrons. The technique is called non-covalent polymer wrapping.

Solving molybdenum disulfide's 'thin' problem

Research team increases material's light emission by twelve times.

Shape-shifting sensor can report conditions from deep in the body

Scientists have devised and demonstrated a new, shape-shifting probe which is capable of sensitive, high-resolution remote biological sensing that is not possible with current technology.

Nanoscale 'worms' provide new route to nano-necklace structures

Researchers have developed a novel technique for crafting nanometer-scale necklaces based on tiny star-like structures threaded onto a polymeric backbone. The technique could provide a new way to produce hybrid organic-inorganic shish kebab structures from semiconducting, magnetic, ferroelectric and other materials that may afford useful nanoscale properties.

State-of-the-art online system unveiled to pinpoint metrology software accuracy

The results of a three-year research project mean that advanced manufacturing companies will have on-line access to a new method of testing the accuracy of their crucial measurement software.

Novel nanocomposite coatings combine protection with colour effects

Incorporating colored pigments in nanocomposites make coatings possible which are not only protective but also deliver additional visual information via their coloration.

A first glimpse inside a macroscopic quantum state

Scientists have detected, for the first time, entanglement among individual photon pairs in a beam of squeezed light.

Frustration produces a quantum playground

A deeper understanding of quantum fluctuations in 'frustrated' layered magnetic crystals could speed the development of devices that probe real-world systems using quantum effects.

Novel nanoparticle therapy promotes wound healing (w/video)

An experimental therapy cuts in half the time it takes to heal wounds compared to no treatment at all.

Chemists make new silicon-based nanomaterials

Researchers describe methods for making nanoribbons and nanoplates from a compound called silicon telluride. The materials are pure, p-type semiconductors (positive charge carriers) that could be used in a variety of electronic and optical devices.

Nanotechnology designer toolkit for dynamic DNA nanomachines

The latest DNA nanodevices - including a robot with movable arms, a book that opens and closes, a switchable gear, and an actuator - may be intriguing in their own right, but that's not the point. They demonstrate a breakthrough in the science of using DNA as a programmable building material for nanometer-scale structures and machines.

New study shows bacteria can use magnetic nanoparticles to create a 'natural battery'

The bacteria can load electrons onto and discharge electrons from microscopic particles of magnetite. This discovery holds out the potential of using this mechanism to help clean up environmental pollution, and other bioengineering applications.

Behind the dogmas of good old hydrodynamics

A new theory gives new insights into the transport of liquid flowing along the surface under applied electric field.

Fluctuation X-ray scattering

In biology, materials science and the energy sciences, structural information provides important insights into the understanding of matter. The link between a structure and its properties can suggest new avenues for designed improvements of synthetic materials or provide new fundamental insights in biology and medicine at the molecular level.

Surface-modified nanoparticles endow coatings with combined properties

Nanoparticles are specifically adapted to the particular application by Small Molecule Surface Modification (SMSM). Thereby surfaces of workpieces or mouldings are expected to exhibit several different functions at one and the same time.

Nanocarbon enhanced plastic could spur green energy applications, artificial muscles

A plastic used in filters and tubing has an unusual trait: It can produce electricity when pulled or pressed. This ability has been used in small ways, but now researchers are coaxing fibers of the material to make even more electricity for a wider range of applications from green energy to 'artificial muscles'.

Engineers create nanomaterials tougher than bulletproof vests

Researchers have created new structures that exploit the electromechanical properties of specific nanofibers to stretch to up to seven times their length, while remaining tougher than Kevlar.

Simple method of binding pollutants in water with nanoadsorbers

New types of membrane adsorbers remove unwanted particles from water and also, at the same time, dissolved substances such as the hormonally active bis-phenol A or toxic lead. To do this, researchers imbed selective adsorber particles in filtration membranes.

The first observation of the effect of electron spin of molecular oxygen on the surface oxidation reaction

Scientists presented the first spin-controlled oxygen adsorption experiment indicating that the rate of surface oxidation is strongly affected by the electron spin of oxygen.

Gold nanoparticles size up to cancer treatment

Incorporating gold nanoparticles helps optimise treatment carrier size and stability to improve delivery of cancer treatment to cells.

Rare-earth innovation to improve nylon manufacturing with nanoparticles

Scientists have created a new chemical process that makes use of the widely available rare-earth metal cerium to improve the manufacture of nylon.

Researchers use nanoparticles to selectively target tumor cells in two cancer models

Nanoscientists study xenograft models of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Desalination with nanoporous graphene membrane

Researchers have demonstrated an energy-efficient desalination technology that uses a porous membrane made of strong, slim graphene.

Snowflakes become square with a little help from graphene

The breakthrough findings allow better understanding of the counterintuitive behaviour of water at the molecular scale and are important for development of more efficient technologies including filtration, desalination and distillation.

Thousands of atoms entangled with a single photon

Result could make atomic clocks more accurate.

Using viruses to help water blow off steam (w/video)

Researchers are using viral-biotemplating to make nanostructure coatings for studying their ability to enhance water boiling efficiency.

Fuel cells in the spotlight

In-situ, dynamic X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy to demystify the behavior of catalysts in fuel cells.

Carbon nanotube fibers make superior links to brain

Carbon nanotube fibers may provide the best way to communicate directly with the brain. The fibers have proven superior to metal electrodes for deep brain stimulation and to read signals from a neuronal network. Because they provide a two-way connection, they show promise for treating patients with neurological disorders while monitoring the real-time response of neural circuits in areas that control movement, mood and bodily functions.

EPA proposes reporting and record keeping requirements on nanomaterials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing one-time reporting and recordkeeping requirements on nanoscale chemical substances in the marketplace.

Nanorobotic agents open the blood-brain barrier, offering hope for new brain treatments

Magnetic nanoparticles can open the blood-brain barrier and deliver molecules directly to the brain, say researchers.

New physics unlocks the mechanism of the Kondo Effect

Researchers have made an experimental breakthrough in explaining a rare property of an exotic magnetic material, potentially opening a path to a host of new technologies. From information storage to magnetic refrigeration, many of tomorrow's most promising innovations rely on sophisticated magnetic materials, and this discovery opens the door to harnessing the physics that governs those materials.

Nanotechnology makes possible a robotic germ

As nanotechnology makes possible a world of machines too tiny to see, researchers are finding ways to combine living organisms with nonliving machinery to solve a variety of problems. Like other first-generation bio-robots, the new nanobot is a far cry from Robocop. It's a robotic germ.

New kind of 'tandem' solar cell developed

Researchers combine two types of photovoltaic material to make a cell that harnesses more sunlight.

'Goldilocks material' could change spintronics

Researchers demonstrate new class of zero-moment half metallic magnets, which may enhance data storage and wireless transmission speeds.

Building shape inspires new material discovery

Physicists inspired by the radical shape of a Canberra building have created a new type of material which enables scientists to put a perfect bend in light. The creation of a so-called topological insulator could transform the telecommunications industry's drive to build an improved computer chip using light.

Scientists build a nanolaser using a single atomic sheet

Scientists have built a new nanometer-sized laser - using the thinnest semiconductor available today - that is energy efficient, easy to build and compatible with existing electronics.

Switchable adhesion principle enables damage-free handling of sensitive devices even in vacuum

Researchers have enhanced the Gecko adhesion principle such that adhesion can be switched on and off in vacuum.

Possibilities for graphene-integrated polymer composites in dental prostheses ans medical implants

Graphene solutions provider 2-DTech and dental implant specialist Evodental are currently in the process of carrying out preliminary investigative work into the prospects of applying graphene within the field of dentistry.

Nanotechnology platform shows promise for treating pancreatic cancer

Researchers create new method that targets tumors with the same effectiveness but a significant reduction in both side effects and cost.

Optimising soft-optoelectronics materials through molecular engineering

Molecules used to make optoelectronic devices can be engineered to have specific properties, making the production of high-performance optoelectronic devices more efficient.

Catching and releasing tiny molecules

New technique for sorting biomolecules could lead to efficient clinical diagnostics and chemical purification.

New technique could bring quality-control tool for nanocomposites

Layered nanocomposites containing tiny structures mixed into a polymer matrix are gaining commercial use, but their complex nature can hide defects that affect performance. Now researchers have developed a system capable of detecting such defects using a Kelvin probe scanning method with an atomic force microscope.

Health-conscious concrete

Roads that self-repair, bridges filled with first-aid bubbles, buildings with arteries...not some futuristic fantasy but a very real possibility with 'smart' concrete.

Toward a more realistic picture of how molecules move within cells

A candid photo can reveal much more about the mood of a party than a stiff, posed picture. The same might be true for molecules, according to researchers.

Ultra-thin silicon films create vibrant optical colors

A new technology, which creates a rainbow of optical colors with ultra-thin layers of silicon, has been recently demonstrated.

Catch-release-repeat: Study reveals novel technique for handling molecules

Researchers describe a method capable of mimicking Nature's ability to sort, capture, transport and release molecules. The technique sets the stage for continuous and efficient manipulation of a broad range of molecules of relevance to human and environmental health.

Landmark study proves that magnets can control heat and sound

Experiment reveals new mysterious properties of sound waves.

Serious about taking graphene to the mainstream?

The Commercial Graphene Show Europe is the only place where the entire graphene value chain will come together to discuss hwo graphene can and will impact your industry.

Squid-inspired 'invisibility stickers' could help you evade detection in the dark (w/video)

Squid are the ultimate camouflage artists, blending almost flawlessly with their backgrounds so that unsuspecting prey can't detect them. Using a protein that's key to this process, scientists have designed 'invisibility stickers' that could one day help soldiers disguise themselves, even when sought by enemies with tough-to-fool infrared cameras.

Graphene applications in mobile communication

No matter what the wireless standard, signal processing could not be done without the filtering of frequencies. Micro-acoustic piezoelectric resonators are the dominant technology in the market for this purpose. Theory predicts excellent oscillation characteristics for these resonators, if the electrode used for the excitation of the oscillation becomes very light. And the lightest conceivable electrode is electrically conductive graphene.

A graphene solution for microwave interference

Physicists have found that a graphene plane can provide an effective absorbent shield against microwaves.