Puzzle about passivation of low-friction, hard carbon coatings solved

Diamond and diamond-like carbon reduce friction and wear in bearings and valves by means of so-called passivation layers, which prevent other materials from bonding to the coating. Until now, it was unclear how these passivation layers should be designed to achieve minimal friction.

A simple way of describing friction - by making it complicated

Scientists have come up with an adjustment to the classical friction model that improves its ability to describe trends in how friction works for layered materials like graphene at the nanoscale.

First confirmation of new theory by topological metamaterial

Physicists have experimentally demonstrated a novel effect for the first time by exploiting topological metamaterials.

Tens of thousands of artificial brain synapses on a single chip

Engineers have designed a 'brain-on-a-chip', smaller than a piece of confetti, that is made from tens of thousands of artificial brain synapses known as memristors - silicon-based components that mimic the information-transmitting synapses in the human brain.

Aerosol-printed graphene unveiled as low cost, faster food toxin sensor

Researchers have developed a graphene-based electrochemical sensor capable of detecting histamines (allergens) and toxins in food much faster than standard laboratory tests.