Method assembles cellulose nanofibres into a material stronger than spider silk

Researchers have produced a bio-based material that is reported to surpass the strength of all known bio-based materials whether fabricated or natural, including wood and spider silk.

Engineers studying nanodefects suspected of causing early failures of electrical materials

Scientists are working to understand how those nanoscale defects, when subject to extreme electric fields, evolve into material failures. Those failures turn insulators, which do not conduct electricity, into materials that allow some current to flow.

Polarized light: A simple route to highly chiral materials

Researchers have successfully created chiral nanostructures from particles of gold. The trick was to use circularly polarized light to generate electric fields, which localize differently depending on LCP or RCP. This in turn drove the chiral deposition of a dielectric material.

Unexpected behaviour of atom clouds challenges existing theories

Experiments with ultra-cold atoms have shown surprising results: coupled atom clouds synchronize within milliseconds. This effect cannot be explained by standard theories.

Transistor fabrication onto curved surface means turn toward better diabetes therapy

The nanotechnology advance is a key step toward an artificial pancreas: a catheter that can detect blood sugar levels and transmit the info to a wearable, computerized insulin pump.

Scientists make strong, super-tough carbon sheets at low temperature

An international research team has developed high-strength, super-tough sheets of carbon that can be inexpensively fabricated at low temperatures.

Chemists develop improved method to create artificial photosynthesis

A team of chemistry and chemical engineering researchers has developed a method of creating materials for artificial photosynthesis that is more efficient and cost-effective than current methods.