New blood test rapidly detects signs of pancreatic cancer

The test, which is at the proof-of-concept stage, can rapidly screen a drop of blood for biomarkers of pancreatic cancer. It can provide results in less than an hour.

Self-assembling 3D battery would charge in seconds

Instead of having the batteries' anode and cathode on either side of a nonconducting separator, researchers intertwine the components in a self-assembling, 3D gyroidal structure, with thousands of nanoscale pores filled with the elements necessary for energy storage and delivery.

Supersonic waves may help electronics beat the heat

Researchers made the first observations of waves of atomic rearrangements, known as phasons, propagating supersonically through a vibrating crystal lattice - a discovery that may dramatically improve heat transport in insulators and enable new strategies for heat management in future electronics devices.

New concept for structural colors

Researchers have developed a novel concept that enables colorants which are based on non-toxic materials, which further do not bleach in the sunlight and which do not lose their appearance under high processing temperatures (as needed for glazes of ceramics).

Innovative light-delivery technique improves biosensors

New approach improves practicality of high-sensitivity sensors for cancer, other diseases.

Recent developments to control the location, composition, shape, and structure of the encapsulated metal nanostructures

A research team reports the ability to stabilize different metallic nanostructures by encapsulating them in porous monocrystalline materials.

Glassomer: Processing glass like a polymer

Pure quartz glass is highly transparent and resistant to thermal, physical, and chemical impacts. These are optimum prerequisites for use in optics, data technology or medical engineering. Materials engineers have developed a forming technology to structure quartz glass like a polymer.

Discovery will impact design of drug delivery systems at the molecular level

Scientists have made a discovery that will impact the design of not only drug delivery systems, but also the development of newer applications in water filtration and energy production.

Metallic drivers of Alzheimer's disease

The detection of iron and calcium compounds in amyloid plaque cores.

Flexible, highly efficient multimodal energy harvesting

A piezoelectric ceramic foam supported by a flexible polymer support provides a 10-fold increase in the ability to harvest mechanical and thermal energy over standard piezo composites.

Oscillating nanophase magnetite controls ice nucleation

Researchers report that magnetite nanoparticles, which are mechanically rotated by external oscillating magnetic fields, could disturb the water/crystal interface and promote supercooling during the freezing process.

Functional films made of environmentally friendly clay minerals and dyes

Transparent hybrid film that changes color with humidity via a novel mechanism.