Self-powered system makes smart windows smarter

Smart windows equipped with controllable glazing can augment lighting, cooling and heating systems by varying their tint, saving up to 40 percent in an average building's energy costs.

Optical nanomotors

Researchers demonstrate nanoscale particles that ordinary light sources can set spinning.

Miniature technology, big hope for disease detection

As the sensitivity of micro- and nanofluidic systems relies on the bio-functionalities of the patterned recognition biomolecules, the primary concern has been to develop simple technologies that enable biomolecule immobilization within microfluidic devices whilst preserving bio-functionalities.

Mussel-inspired property of dopamin introduced to nanoparticles for tumor targetting

A group of researchers has synthesized an amphiphilic hyaluronic acid-ceramide-dopamine (HACE-d) conjugate and introduced the mussel-inspired properties of dopamine into the nanoparticles for tumor-specific delivery of phloretin and in vivo visualization of cancer.

Fixation of powder catalysts on electrodes

Chemists have developed a new method to tightly fix catalyst powders on electrode surfaces. This technique is potentially interesting for hydrogen production by water electrolysis.

A golden opportunity for drug targeting

Tissue-targeting gold complexes could be used to activate drugs only at specific sites in the body.

New method could enable more stable and scalable quantum computing

Scientists have discovered a new topological material which may enable fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Nanocomposite material uses solar energy to remove man-made dye pollutants from water

A novel composite material shows promise as a catalyst for the degradation of environmentally-harmful synthetic dye pollutants, which are released at a rate of nearly 300,000 tonnes a year into the world's water.

New system makes fast, customized antibiotic treatments possible

A new diagnostic system enables rapid and accurate customization of the antibiotic to the patient. The system makes for faster diagnostics, earlier and more effective treatment of infectious bacteria, and improved patient recovery times.

Spinning electrons open the door to future hybrid electronics

Researchers demonstrate how to combine a commonly used semiconductor with a topological insulator, a recently discovered state of matter with unique electrical properties.

Researchers verify the developmental toxicity of graphene oxide at trace concentrations

A new report work verifies the developmental toxicity of graphene oxide at trace concentrations and illustrates for the first time the specific molecular mechanisms thereof.

Self-assembled quantum dot drives a plasmonic nanocircuit

Researchers demonstrated a simple model quantum plasmonic nanocircuit with a narrow-band self-assembled GaAs quantum dot as a source for single plasmon excitation.

Scientists make giant molecular cages for energy conversion and drug delivery

Researchers have created 'molecular cages' that can maximise the efficiency of converting molecules in chemical reactions, and that may in future also be used as sensors and drug-delivery agents.

Researchers refute textbook knowledge in molecular interactions

Scientists have found that in many rather common situations in nature the van der Waals force between two molecules becomes repulsive. This might lead to a paradigm shift in molecular interactions.

New avenue for the large-scale synthesis of Janus particles

Researchers have developed an emulsion interfacial polymerization method to fabricate Janus particles exhibiting chemical and topological anisotropy.

Exploiting acidic tumor microenvironment for the development of novel cancer nano-theranostics

A new review presents the up-to-date progress in the design of novel multifunctional nano-theranostics for precision cancer nanomedicine by targeting the unique acidic tumor microenvironment .

Developing tailor-made nanoparticles to fight cancer

Researchers have developed a method to produce size-tailored particles of zinc peroxide. This allows targeted modification of their properties, such as the destruction of cancer cells.

Dialysis with graphene

Graphene can filter nanometer-sized molecules at 10 to 100 times the rate of commercial membranes.

Inorganic biomaterials for soft-tissue adhesion

The adhesive, made from nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite, glues both synthetic hydrogels and mouse soft tissue, providing a promising alternative to organic materials currently in use for clinical applications.

Scientists develop super-strong metal for next tech frontier

Materials scientists and engineers are reporting success in developing a new material that promises to help ensure that microelectromechanical systems can continue to meet the demands of the next technological frontier.

New polymer goes for a walk when illuminated (w/video)

Researchers have developed a new material that can undulate and therefore propel itself forward under the influence of light.

Nanostructures taste the rainbow

Combining nanophotonics and thermoelectrics, engineers generate materials capable of distinguishing between tiny differences in wavelengths of light.

Hydrogel cubes show highly efficient delivery of a potent anti-cancer drug

This active drug-delivery system addresses the limitations seen for the anti-cancer drug BA-TPQ - poor solubility and low bioavailability.

Fabricating high performance nanohybrid catalysts

Scientists have developed a method that allows them to engineer crystals with a large fraction of reactive facets.

Swimming microbots can remove pathogenic bacteria from water

Researchers designed 'two-faced' spherical particles to perform the task. One face is made with magnesium, which reacts with water to produce hydrogen bubbles to propel the microbots. The other face is made out of alternating iron and gold layers topped by silver nanoparticles.

Graphene aerogel holds record as world's least dense 3-D printed structure

The world's lightest 3-D printed structure is so lightweight that it can be placed on top of a cotton ball or the petals of a flower.

Making 'personalized medicine' easier and more precise with exosomes

Scientists are investigating how to tailor drug therapies using exosomes - nanoscale sacs full of biomarkers like lipids, proteins and nucleic acids found in bodily fluids - that can be used to achieve a noninvasive 'liquid biopsy'.

Magnetic particles that flock like birds

Tracking movements of individual particles provides understanding of collective motions, synchronization and self-assembly.

Vortex-antivortex pairs found in magnetic trilayers

A international team of researchers has discovered magnetic vortex-antivortex pairs arising from correlated electron spins in a newly engineered trilayer material. The discovery could advance memory cells and points to the potential development of 3-D magnetic logic circuits.

Injectable plant-based nanoparticles delay tumor progression

New research suggests co-administration with chemotherapy drugs most effective strategy.

Supersensitive through quantum entanglement

Physicists have demonstrated the deterministic generation of entangled photon states using a single semiconductor quantum dot, and could thereby outperform fundamental sensitivity boundaries, unattainable with classical light.

Continued funding of Collaborative Research Center developing nanomaterials for cancer immunotherapy

Focus on the development of drug carriers from polymer chemicals for use in biological systems.

A levitated nanosphere as an ultra-sensitive sensor

Researchers have demonstrated how to remove from and add elementary charges to a nanosphere that can be used for measuring extremely weak forces.

Ruthenium atoms on graphene to match platinum standard for fuel cells

Scientists have fabricated a durable catalyst for high-performance fuel cells by attaching single ruthenium atoms to graphene.

Lab-made synapses for artificial intelligence

Scientists have developed an artificial synapse capable of simulating a fundamental function of our nervous system - the release of inhibitory and stimulatory signals from the same 'pre-synaptic' terminal.

Extremely small gas and pressure sensors made from 'white graphene'

Researchers have found a way to create and clean tiny mechanical sensors in a scalable manner. They created these sensors by suspending a two-dimensional sheet of hexagonal boron nitride over small holes in a silicon substrate.

Nanofabrication: A slick route to smart surfaces

Controlled rupturing of thin films can make low-cost nanopatterned arrays for solar cells and biomolecular detection.

Nanostructured silicon - Bristling with potential

Better understanding the principles of silicon etching leads to improved surface patterning.

Nanoparticles improve the strength of metallic alloys

Superalloys are the wonder materials of metallurgy. By fine-tuning their composition, scientists can increase mechanical strength and improve resistance to corrosion and high-temperature shape changes.

Graphene ribbons result in 100-fold increase in gold catalyst's performance

Bottom-up synthesis of tunable carbon nanoribbons provides a new route to enhance industrial, automotive reactions.

Nan-Oh-Canada

Measuring 32 atoms, Canadian scientists have created a maple leaf 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

New photoacoustic technique detects gases at parts-per-quadrillion level

A team of researchers has found a way to detect trace gases down to concentrations at the parts-per-quadrillion level using a new variation on the photoacoustic effect, a technique that measures the sound generated when light interacts with molecules.

Coating individual bacterial cells with a conducting polymer

Coating of individual bacterial cells with an electron-conducting polymer provides for a high-performance anode for microbial fuel-cell applications.

Physicists make quantum leap in understanding life's nanoscale machinery

A diagnostic technique that can detect tiny molecules signalling the presence of cancer could be on the horizon.

Cotton candy capillaries lead to circuit boards that dissolve when cooled

The silver nanowires are held together in the polymer so that they touch, and as long as the polymer doesn't dissolve, the nanowires will form a path to conduct electricity similar to the traces on a circuit board.

Bacteria-coated nanofiber electrodes digest pollutants

Materials scientists and bioelectrochemical engineers may have created an innovative, cost-competitive electrode material for cleaning pollutants in wastewater.

Graphene and terahertz waves could lead the way to future communication

By utilizing terahertz waves in electronics, future data traffic can get a big boost forward. So far, the terahertz (THz) frequency has not been optimally applied to data transmission, but by using graphene, researchers have come one step closer to a possible paradigm shift for the electronic industry.

3-D-printed jars in ball-milling experiments

Recently, in situ observations of mechanochemical reactions have been achieved by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Solid-state reactions can be directly tracked, revealing phase transitions and other material transformations during synthesis in a ball mill jar.

New 'gold standard' for flexible electronics

Simple, economical process makes large-diameter, high-performance, thin, transparent, and conductive foils for bendable LEDs and more.

Atomic magnet curve balls

A twisted array of atomic magnets were driven to move in a curved path, a needed level of control for use in future memory devices.