Next gen batteries possible with engineering breakthrough

Dramatically longer lasting, faster charging, and safer lithium metal batteries may be possible thanks to a three-dimensional cross-linked polymer sponge that attaches to the metal plating of a battery anode.

Physicists discover a new way of resonance tuning for nonlinear optics

A research team has discovered that different metasurfaces exhibit the same behavior provided a symmetry breaking is introduced to their unit cells 'meta-atoms'. Asymmetry of meta-atoms results in high-quality (high Q) resonances in the transmittance spectra of metasurfaces.

Thermal nanotransistor can conduct heat away from electronic components

A new thermal transistor could help conduct heat away from delicate electronic components and also insulate them against chip and circuit failure.

Epoxy compound gets a graphene bump

Scientists combine graphene foam, epoxy into tough, conductive composite.

The slower they turn, the brighter they glow

Scientists have discovered that by combining copper with organic molecules, they can create metal complexes that exhibit photoluminescence. What?s more, by varying the sizes of those organic molecules, they can control the brightness of the emitted light.

When electric fields make spins swirl

Researchers report the discovery of small and ferroelectrically tunable skyrmions. This work introduces new compelling advantages that bring skyrmion research a step closer to application.

Nanotubes built from protein crystals: Breakthrough in biomolecular engineering

Scientists have succeeded in constructing protein nanotubes from tiny scaffolds made by cross-linking of engineered protein crystals. The achievement could accelerate the development of artificial enzymes, nano-sized carriers and delivery systems for a host of biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Scientists engineer a functional optical lens out of 2D materials

Researchers announced that they have constructed functional metalenses that are one-tenth to one-half the thickness of the wavelengths of light that they focus. Their metalenses, which were constructed out of layered 2D materials, were as thin as 190 nanometers.