Finding a needle in a crystalline haystack

New X-ray technique reveals the presence of one-in-a-million large crystalline regions from metals fatiguing - stabilization schemes could lead to impervious metals.

World's most efficient nanowire lasers

Materials with extraordinary performance in solar cells are discovered to be efficient, tunable lasers at room temperature.

Nanotechnology extends shelf life of fresh fruit

An international research team is developing nanotechnology-based applications of hexanal, a natural plant extract that extends the storage life of harvested fruit.

Tiny mirror improves microscope resolution for studying cells

A tiny mirror could make a huge difference for scientists trying to understand what's happening in the micron-scale structures of living cells.

Supergelators hold key to more effective oil spill cleanup

In a bid to improve the technology utilized by cleanup crews to manage and contain such large spills, researchers have invented a smart nanofiber-based oil-scavenging material or supergelators that could help clean up oil spills efficiently and rapidly to prevent secondary pollution.

A new approach to building efficient thermoelectric nanomaterials

By doping a thermoelectric material with minute amounts of sulfur, a team of researchers has found a new path to large improvements in the efficiency of materials for solid-state heating and cooling and waste energy recapture.

New see-through material for electronics

A low-cost, stable oxide film is highly conductive and transparent, rivaling its predecessors.