Researchers develop eco-friendly, 4-in-1 nanocatalyst

Researchers have developed a new composite catalyst that can perform four separate chemical reactions in sequential order and in one container to produce compounds useful in making a wide range of pharmaceutical products.

Nanosponges lessen severity of Streptococcal infections

In a new study, researchers show that engineered nanosponges that are encapsulated in the membranes of red blood cells can reduce the severity of infections caused by group A Streptococcus, the bacteria responsible for strep throat and life-threatening infections.

First-ever direct observation of chiral currents in quantum Hall atomic simulation

Using an atomic quantum simulator, scientists have achieved the first-ever direct observation of chiral currents in the model topological insulator, the 2-D integer quantum Hall system.

A new system of building structures based on nanostrutured concrete

Scientists created several types of building blocks based on nanostructured high-strength lightweight concrete, reinforced with skew-angular composite coarse grids. The development has unique characteristics, enabling the increase of load-carrying capability by more than 200% and decrease in specific density of the construction by 80%.

Nanoparticle vaccine shows potential as immunotherapy to fight multiple cancer types

Researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind nanoparticle vaccine immunotherapy that targets several different cancer types.

From abundant hydrocarbons to rare spin liquids

Scientists have discovered how to take hydrocarbon molecular components, dress them with electrons, each of which carries a small compass - an unpaired spin - and pack them together like cookies in a box to create a quantum spin liquid - a long-sought hypothetical state of matter.

Growth under pressure: New metamaterial designed with counterintuitive property

A newly designed metamaterial that expands with increasing hydrostatic pressure may advance what 3-D printers are capable of producing beyond what occurs in nature.

Chip-based nanoscopy: Microscopy in HD quality

Physicists have developed a photonic chip that makes it possible to carry out super-resolution light microscopy, also called nanoscopy, with conventional microscopes. In nanoscopy, the position of single fluorescent molecules can be determined with a precision of just a few nanometers.

Bright future for self-charging batteries

New light-based technology could one day make battery chargers obsolete.

Solar cell design with over 50 percent energy-conversion efficiency

A new solar cell design could raise the energy conversion efficiency to over 50% by absorbing the spectral components of longer wavelengths that are usually lost during transmission through the cell.

New self-sustained multi-sensor platform for environmental monitoring

Researchers have engineered a self-sustaining sensor platform to continuously monitor the surrounding environment without having an external power source.

New breakthrough in battery charging technology

A team of researchers has developed a single-unit, photo-rechargeable portable power source based on high-efficiency silicon solar cells and lithium-ion batteries.

Freezing lithium batteries may make them safer and bendable

Engineers use ice-templating to control electrolyte structure in lithium batteries; solid-state is non-flammable, non-toxic and flexible with longer battery life.

Self-assembled nanostructures can be selectively controlled

DNA self-assembly allows the unprecedented control of the optical properties of plasmonic metamolecules.

Working on the magnetic memory of the future

In his work, Geoffrey Beach combines the deep, theoretical understanding of a physicist with an engineer's passion for building and refining the devices needed to carry out his investigations.

Graphene holds up under high pressure

Used in filtration membranes, ultrathin material could help make desalination more productive.

Thin diamond crystal reflects many colors of light in all directions

Physicists and mathematicians have discovered by advanced calculations that a thin diamond-like photonic nanostructure reflects a surprisingly broad range of colors of light omnidirectionally.

Tiny cages could keep vaccines safe at high temperatures

Scientists have created a technique which can keep proteins intact at high temperatures up to 100 C, by encasing them in silica cages.

Revealing polymeric fluids behavior at the microscopic scale

A team of researchers is focussing their efforts on using microfluidics as a tool to reveal the laws and principles ruling the behavior of complex fluids at the microscopic scale. Then in a second phase, they make use of these discoveries to provide direct applications in healthcare and biotechnology.