Clay nanotube-biopolymer composite scaffolds for tissue engineering

Researchers combined three biopolymers, chitosan and agarose (polysaccharides), and a protein gelatine, as the materials to produce tissue engineering scaffolds and demonstrated the enhancement of mechanical strength (doubled pick load), higher water uptake and thermal properties in chitosan-gelatine-agarose hydrogels doped with halloysite.

Spintronics for future information technologies

Spin currents in topological insulators controlled.

Magnetic nanoparticles may reveal early traces of cancer

Nanoscale magnets offer a new way to find faint, early traces of cancer in patients, according to researchers working on a method to capitalize on the magnets? properties.

Nanoparticles present sustainable way to grow food crops

A team of engineers has found a sustainable way to boost the growth of a protein-rich bean by improving the way it absorbs much-needed nutrients.

What is a quantum spin liquid?

Quantum spin liquid comes in several different varieties with subtly different properties, but that they all share the ability to support peculiar quantum mechanical phenomena.

Cooling graphene-based film close to pilot-scale production

Researchers have developed an efficient way of cooling electronics by using functionalized graphene nanoflakes.

Scientists predict promising new family of materials for solid-state cooling

In a new paper, scientists point to a new family of materials with promising applications in solid-state cooling.

New technique spots active motion in cells

New data analysis technique distinguishes active from passive fluctuations inside cells.

Exploring phosphorene, a promising new material

Two-dimensional phosphane, a material known as phosphorene, has potential application as a material for semiconducting transistors in ever faster and more powerful computers.

At last: Non-toxic and cheap thin-film solar cells for zero-energy buildings

World's highest efficiency rating achieved for CZTS thin-film solar cells.

Important effect observed in development of quantum storage

Rare-earth materials are prime candidates for storing quantum information, because the undesirable interaction with their environment is extremely weak. Consequently however, this lack of interaction implies a very small response to light, making it hard to read and write data. Physicists have now observed a record-high Purcell effect, which enhances the material's interaction with light.

A tiny switch for a few particles of light

A single molecule allows a beam of light with a few photons to be controlled - a step towards the photonic computer.

Tunable thermal-sensitive polymer-graphene oxide composite for blood biopsy

A new device could provide a non-invasive way to monitor the progress of an advanced cancer treatment. It can pick cancer cells out of a blood sample and let them go later, enabling further tests that can show whether the therapy is successfully ridding the patient of the most dangerous cancer cells.

Detecting minute nano amounts in environmental samples

Scientists have developed a method that is capable of identifying even minute amounts of nanomaterials in environmental samples.

Nanoparticles hold promise as double-edged sword against genital herpes

An effective vaccine against the virus that causes genital herpes has evaded researchers for decades. But now, researchers have shown that zinc-oxide nanoparticles shaped like jacks can prevent the virus from entering cells, and help natural immunity to develop.

Researchers create 1-step graphene patterning method

Researchers have developed a one-step, facile method to pattern graphene by using stencil mask and oxygen plasma reactive-ion etching, and subsequent polymer-free direct transfer to flexible substrates.

The hard facts about soft landing ions

Scientists review cutting-edge techniques that offer insights into processes of interest for energy production, storage, and catalysis.

Biology may hold key to better computer memory

Nucleic acid memory holds promise of longer, better data storage.

Hybrid nanoantennas - next-generation platform for ultradense data recording

Scientists have put forward a new approach to effective manipulation of light at the nanoscale based on hybrid metal-dielectric nanoantennas.

Toward dissolvable electronics for implants and sensors

Researchers have created a dissolvable device component out of egg proteins, magnesium and tungsten.

Researchers create a first frequency comb of time-bin entangled qubits

Discovery is a significant step toward multi-channel quantum communication and higher capacity quantum computers.

How many nanoparticle-based drugs reach tumours? Less than one per cent

Reality check meta-analysis reveals that only 0.7 per cent of designer nanoparticles reach their intended target.

Engineers look inside nanoparticles to explore how their shape improves energy storage

Many technologies rely upon nanomaterials that can absorb or release atoms quickly and repeatedly. New work provides a first look inside these phase-changing nanoparticles, showing how their shape and crystallinity affect their performance for battery applications.

Novel method sets new standards for standards for the development of vaccines

Researchers have created a general and user-friendly platform for the development of a special type of effective and safe vaccines. The highly effective method opens a new door for controlling diseases such as cancer, asthma, allergies and cardiovascular diseases by means of vaccines.

Chemists use DNA to build the world's tiniest thermometer

Researchers have created a programmable DNA thermometer that is 20,000x smaller than a human hair. This scientific advance may significantly aid our understanding of natural and human designed nanotechnologies by enabling to measure temperature at the nanoscale.

One minus 1 does not always equal 0 in chemistry

Scientists are first to prove 2 mirror-image molecules can be optically active.

Seeing atoms and molecules in action with an electron éye'

A unique rapid-fire electron source will help scientists study ultrafast chemical processes and changes in materials at the atomic scale.

Nanograft seeded with three cell types promotes blood vessel formation to speed wound healing

Large or slow-healing wounds that do not receive adequate blood flow could benefit from a novel approach that combines a nanoscale graft onto which three different cell types are layered.

It takes more than peer pressure to make large microgels fit in

Researchers believe they've solved the mystery of how oversized microgels shrink to fit colloidal crystals, and what they've learned could also have implications for biological systems made up of soft organic particles not unlike the polymer microgels.

Ingenious method enables sharper flat-panel displays at lower energy costs

An intriguing method uses super-thin layers of inexpensive electrochromic polymers to generate bright colors that, for the first time, can be rapidly altered.

Atomic magnets using hydrogen and graphene

Scientists have shown for the first time that the simple absorption of a hydrogen atom on a layer of graphene magnetises a large region of this material.

Civil society demands action, not words, on nanotechnology

NGOs, consumer groups and research organisations have expressed disappointment with the European Commission's continuing failure to propose adequate measures for the collection and publication of information about nanomaterials on the EU market after a Commission meeting with stakeholders in Brussels on Monday.

Observation of two different collective oscillations of electrons occurring on gold nanoparticles

This discovery is expected to be utilized in clarifying the design guideline of a high efficiency optical antenna and light energy conversion by visible / near-infrared light.

Researchers create artificial protein to control assembly of buckyballs

This is a proof-of-principle study demonstrating that proteins can be used as effective vehicles for organizing nanomaterials by design.

Flipping a chemical switch helps perovskite solar cells beat the heat

Researchers have shown a way of flipping a chemical switch that converts one type of perovskite into another - a type that has better thermal stability and is a better light absorber.

Carbon nanotube semiconductors are well-suited for photovoltaics

Researchers discovered single-walled carbon nanotube semiconductors could be favorable for photovoltaic systems because they can potentially convert sunlight to electricity or fuels without losing much energy.

Metal ions first sneak in, then bust through

Direct imaging of two chemical processes shows reason behind material's collapse.

Unexpected discovery leads to a better battery

An unexpected discovery has led to a rechargeable battery that's as inexpensive as conventional car batteries, but has a much higher energy density.

New spin Seebeck thermoelectric device with higher conversion efficiency created

A research team has created a thermoelectric device using cutting edge thermoelectric conversion technology. The new technology, known as the spin Seebeck effect, has conversion efficiency 10 times higher than the conventional method.

The light stuff: A brand-new way to produce electron spin currents

Physicists are the first to demonstrate using non-polarized light to produce a spin voltage in a metal.

Rare Earth atoms see the light

Physicists discover a promising route for combined optical and solid state-based quantum information processing.

Novel anti-biofilm nanocoating offers significant anti-adhesive potential

Anti-adhesive patches that are developed from naturally occurring biomaterials can prevent destructive bacterial biofilm from forming on metal surfaces when they are immersed in water and other damp environments.

Scientists propose non-animal tools for assessing the toxicity of nanomaterials

A workshop organized last year by the PETA International Science Consortium Ltd has resulted in an article that describes aerosol generation and exposure tools that can be used to predict toxicity in human lungs following inhalation of nanomaterials.

Engineers develop micro-sized, liquid-metal particles for heat-free soldering

Researchers found a way to make micro-scale, liquid-metal particles that can be used for heat-free soldering plus the fabricating, repairing and processing of metals - all at room temperature.

Folding molecules into screw-shaped structures

An international research team describes the methods of winding up molecules into screw-shaped structures. With the aid of artificial molecules, the researchers imitated the principles underlying the assigning a specific function to biomolecules in nature.

Physicists detect the enigmatic spin momentum of light

Radiation pressure is produced by the momentum carried by light, and it plays a crucial role in a variety of systems, from atomic to astronomical scales.

The reliability of material simulations put to test

Several international scientists from over 30 universities and institutes teamed to investigate to what extent quantum simulations of material properties agree when they are performed by different researchers and with different software.

Large rectification in molecular heterojunctions

Researchers demonstrate that rectification ratios of greater than 250 at biases of 0.5 V are achievable at the two-molecule limit for donor?acceptor bilayers of pentacene on C60 on Cu using scanning tunneling spectroscopy and microscopy.

Researchers discover new state of water molecule

Neutron scattering and computational modeling have revealed unique and unexpected behavior of water molecules under extreme confinement that is unmatched by any known gas, liquid or solid states.

Research team realizes 3-color photodetector

The discovery could be used to make infrared color televisions.

Oscillating currents point to practical application for topological insulators

Scientists studying an exotic material have found a potential application for its unusual properties, a discovery that could improve devices found in most digital electronics.

Theory establishes a path to high-performance 2D semiconductor devices

Researchers have uncovered a way to overcome a principal obstacle in using two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Successful laboratory test of photoswitchable anti-tumor agent

Scientists have developed a photo-switchable molecule as a basis of an oxygen-independent method.

Thin-film solar cells: How defects appear and disappear in CIGSe cells

Researchers were able for the first time to observe the defects as these formed during deposition and under what conditions they self-healed by using in-situ X-ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis.

Atoms placed precisely in silicon can act as quantum simulator

In a proof-of-principle experiment, researchers have demonstrated that a small group of individual atoms placed very precisely in silicon can act as a quantum simulator, mimicking nature - in this case, the weird quantum interactions of electrons in materials.

Attosecond physics: New movies from the microcosmos

With the aid of terahertz radiation, Munich physicists have developed a method for generating and controlling ultrashort electron pulses. With further improvements, this technique should be capable of capturing even electrons in motion.

Adding some salt to the recipe for energy storage materials

Researchers use common table salt as growth template.

Manipulating light inside opaque layers

Light propagating in a layer of scattering nanoparticles, shows the principle of diffusion. The deeper light is penetrating into the layer, the lower the energy density. Scientists managed to turn this falling diffusion curve into a rising one, by manipulating the incident light.

The atom without properties

The microscopic world is governed by the rules of quantum mechanics, where the properties of a particle can be completely undetermined and yet strongly correlated with those of other particles. Physicists have observed these so-called Bell correlations for the first time between hundreds of atoms.

Cleaning up hybrid battery electrodes improves capacity and lifespan

New way of building supercapacitor-battery electrodes eliminates interference from inactive components.

Nanopore array advances single molecule electronic DNA sequencing

Researchers achieve real-time single molecule electronic DNA sequencing at single-base resolution using a protein nanopore array - a future platform for precision medicine.

Scientists blend coinage metals to obtain alloys better than gold

Scientists have developed a novel method for altering the light reflected or absorbed by a material by match-making combinations of gold, silver, and copper into various mixtures of metals, or alloys.

Meet the nanomachines that could drive a medical revolution

Here are four more tiny machines that could have a big impact.