Cheaper, less toxic and recyclable light absorbers for hydrogen production

Achieving artificial photosynthesis in solution remains limited by the use of costly and toxic metal-based compounds to harvest light. Researchers propose an efficient alternative using semiconductor nanocrystals (also called quantum dots) based on cheaper and less toxic elements, such as copper, indium and sulfur.

Tubular science improves polymer solar cells

Novel engineered polymers assemble buckyballs into columns using a conventional coating process.

Superacids are good medicine for super thin semiconductors

Scientists demonstrated that powerful acids heal certain structural defects in synthetic films.

How to turn light Into atomic vibrations

Converting laser light into nuclear vibrations is key to switching a material?s properties on and off for future electronics.

Machine learning offers new way of designing chiral crystals

Engineers and chemists successfully used the same technology at the core of facial recognition to design chiral crystals. This is the first study reporting the use of this technology, called logistic regression analysis, to predict which chemical groups are best for making chiral molecules.