Electron beam microscope directly writes nanoscale features in liquid with metal ink

Scientists have harnessed a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) to directly write tiny patterns in metallic 'ink', forming features in liquid that are finer than half the width of a human hair.

'Atomic sandwiches' could make computers 100X greener

Researchers have engineered a material that could lead to a new generation of computing devices, packing in more computing power while consuming a fraction of the energy that today's electronics require.

New study suggests 2-D boron may be best for flexible electronics

Though they're touted as ideal for electronics, two-dimensional materials like graphene may be too flat and hard to stretch to serve in flexible, wearable devices. 'Wavy' borophene might be better.

Novel 3-in-1 'Rheo-Raman' microscope enables interconnected studies of soft materials

An innovative three-in-one instrument that allows scientists to correlate the flowability of soft 'gooey' materials such as gels, molten polymers and biological fluids with their underlying microstructure and composition has been developed.

Simulations show how to turn graphenes defects into assets

Researchers have developed methods to control defects in two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, that may lead to improved membranes for water desalination, energy storage, sensing or advanced protective coatings.

More stable qubits in perfectly normal silicon

The power of future quantum computers stems from the use of qubits, or quantum bits. It is not yet clear on which technology these qubits in quantum computers will be based, but qubits based on electron spins are looking more and more promising. It was thought that these could only be produced in the expensive semiconductor material gallium arsenide, but researchers have now discovered that the more common material silicon is even better.

Pyroelectric peptide microtubes turn heat to electric currents

Bundles of microtubes formed by peptides can convert thermal energy into electrical energy.

A breakthrough in the study of how things break, bend and deform

Researchers use layered materials to show how nature's 'dislocations' occur.

Nanotechnology platform leads to invention of glucose-sensing contact lens

Device relies on nanostructured platform to optimize raman scattering spectroscopy.

Fast lab-on-chip detects effects of poison

A new lab-on-a-chip system is capable of fast analysis of the effects of toxic substances on hemoglobin, for example. It mimicks human metabolism.

Using nanotechnology to produce sustainable, clean water for developing nations (w/video)

This technology would enable communities to produce their own water filters using biomass nanofibers, making clean water more accessible and affordable.

ERC grant to develop smart artificial skin

The technological imitation of a system such as human skin and its information processing presents an enormous challenge to the technology of intelligent materials.

Recent innovations in perovskite film research for solar cells

Recent publications cover three different areas of innovation in perovskite film research: a novel post annealing treatment to increase perovskite efficiency and stability, a discovery of the decomposition products of a specific perovskite, and a new means of producing perovskites that maintains solar efficiency when scaled up.

New protein bridges chemical divide for 'seamless' bioelectronics devices

Engineers reportd peptides that could help harness biological rules to exchange information between the biochemistry of our bodies and the chemistry of our devices.

Survival of the fittest in materials discovery

New research has paved the way for the development of dynamically-evolving polymers that form spontaneously by adapting to their environment, which may lead to a number of product possibilities including drug delivery, food science and cosmetics.