The drop that's good to the very end

Discovery of new water droplet behavior could create more energy-efficient spray drying of products from detergents to instant coffee.

Scientists revisit optical constants of ultrathin gold films

Researchers have conducted highly precise measurements of the optical constants of ultrathin gold films with thicknesses ranging from 20 to 200 nanometers in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

New frontiers for graphene

The Graphene Flagship's international workshops aim to promote strong global links in graphene research.

Missing link between new topological phases of matter discovered

Physicists investigated a class of materials that exhibit characteristics of topological insulators. During these studies they discovered a transition between two different topological phases, one of which is ferroelectric, meaning a phase in the material that exhibits spontaneous electric polarisation and can be reversed by an external electric field.

Atomic force microscopy in color

Researchers turn atomic force microscope measurements into color images.

Electroplating: The birth of a single nucleus caught in camera

Electroplating, or electrodeposition, is one of the most important processes in chemistry, in which a metal cation in solution can be reduced to its elemental form by applying an electrical potential to an electrode.

New optical tool to image rotational motions in live cells

Researchers have developed a new optical imaging technique, Single Particle Orientation and Rotational Tracking (SPORT), to image rotational motions in live cells and ultimately target cancer cells.

Scientists create most powerful micro-scale bio-solar cell yet

New solar cell could power point-of-care medical devices in limited-resource regions.

World first for reading digitally encoded synthetic molecules

For the first time ever, using mass spectrometry, researchers have successfully read several bytes of data recorded on a molecular scale using synthetic polymers.

Stiff fibres spun from slime

Under the influence of shear forces, nanoparticles from the secretion of velvet worms form polymer fibres that can be recycled in water.

Quantum physics paves the way for new chemical products

Research by a molecular physicist has discovered that electrons can control chemical reactions in experiments leading to purer, cheaper chemical products.