A protective shield for sensitive catalysts: hydrogels block harmful oxygen

An international research team has found a way of protecting sensitive catalysts from oxygen-caused damage. In the future, this could facilitate the creation of hydrogen fuel cells with molecular catalysts or with biomolecules such as the hydrogenase enzyme.

Researchers grind nanotubes to get nanoribbons (w/video)

A simple way to turn carbon nanotubes into valuable graphene nanoribbons may be to grind them. The trick is to mix two types of chemically modified nanotubes. When they come into contact during grinding, they react and unzip, a process that until now has depended largely on reactions in harsh chemical solutions.

3D potential through laser annihilation

Firing pulses of a trillion x-ray photons at molecular-sized samples in time scales on the order of million-billionths of a second (femtoseconds), researchers are aiming for the Holy Grail of ultra-fast X-ray Science - single-particle 3D imaging with atomic resolution.

Solar cells in the roof and nanotechnology in the walls

It isn't cars and vehicle traffic that produce the greatest volumes of climate gas emissions - it's our own homes. But new research will soon be putting an end to all that.

Scientists announce first room-temperature magnetic skyrmion bubbles

Researchers announced a new method for creating magnetic skyrmion bubbles at room temperature. The bubbles, a physics phenomenon thought to be an option for more energy-efficient and compact electronics, can be created with simple equipment and common materials.

Scientists tune X-rays with tiny mirrors

Scientists have created a new way of manipulating high-intensity X-rays, which will allow researchers to select extremely brief but precise X-ray bursts for their experiments.

Working at the interface for future energy

The efficiency of polymer solar cells could be improved by precisely controlling the interface between organic layers.