Uncovering the personality of wonder ultrathin materials

Imperfections make people interesting; the same goes for crystals.

Unlikely pairs

Researchers recently experimented with a phenomenon known as the quantum Hall effect, looking for an effect that 'should be there' and ended up with an unexplained phenomenon.

Chromium-centered cycloparaphenylene rings as new tools for making functionalized nanocarbons

Researchers have synthesized novel cycloparaphenylene (CPP) chromium complexes and demonstrated their utility in obtaining monofunctionalized CPPs, which could become useful precursors for making carbon nanotubes with unprecedented structures.

Fibers made by transforming materials

New approach could enable low-cost silicon devices in fibers that could be made into fabrics.

Electronic skin tattoos with advanced near-field communication capabilities

Researchers demonstrate materials, mechanics designs and integration strategies for near field communication (NFC) enabled electronics with ultrathin construction, ultralow modulus, and ability to accommodate large strain deformation.

Semiconductor works better when hitched to graphene

Experiments looked at the properties of materials that combine graphene with a common type of semiconducting polymer. They found that a thin film of the polymer transported electric charge even better when grown on a single layer of graphene than it does when placed on a thin layer of silicon.

EPSRC unveils world-leading SuperSTEM microscope that sees single atoms

A new super powerful electron microscope that can pinpoint the position of single atoms, and will help scientists push boundaries even further, in fields such as advanced materials, healthcare and power generation, has been unveiled by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).