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Categories: Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry, Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published Spiral wrappers switch nanotubes from conductors to semiconductors and back



By wrapping a carbon nanotube with a ribbon-like polymer, researchers were able to create nanotubes that conduct electricity when struck with low-energy light that our eyes cannot see. In the future, the approach could make it possible to optimize semiconductors for applications ranging from night vision to new forms of computing.
Published Design rules and synthesis of quantum memory candidates



In the quest to develop quantum computers and networks, there are many components that are fundamentally different than those used today. Like a modern computer, each of these components has different constraints. However, it is currently unclear what materials can be used to construct those components for the transmission and storage of quantum information.
Published Breakthrough in nanostructure technology for real-time color display



New groundbreaking technology enables the real-time display of colors and shapes through changes in nanostructures.
Published Preventing magnet meltdowns before they can start



High-temperature superconductor magnets have the potential to lower the costs of operating particle accelerators and enable powerful new technologies like fusion reactors. But quenches -- the sudden, destructive events wherein a part of the material loses superconductivity -- are a major barrier to their deployment. Scientists have developed an approach to prevent quenches altogether, rather than simply trying to manage them after they occur.
Published Combined microscopy technique catches light-driven polymers in the act



Researchers have used tip-scan high-speed atomic force microscopy combined with an optical microscope to observe light-induced deformation of azo-polymer films. The process could be followed in real time, and the film patterns were found to change with the polarization of the light source. The observations will contribute to the use of azo-polymers in applications such as optical data storage, and the approach is expected to be useful across materials science and physical chemistry.
Published How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials



A research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials. Through a combination of experimental observations and simulations, the team demonstrated that roughness interferes with the separation process, causing the materials to detach in minute, abrupt movements, which release parts of the adhesive bond incrementally. The findings will make it possible to specifically control the adhesion properties of soft materials through surface roughness and will allow new and improved applications to be developed in soft robotics or production technology in the future.
Published Tiny wireless light bulbs for biomedical applications



The combination of OLEDs and acoustic antennas creates a light source that could be used for minimally invasive treatment methods.
Published Researchers develop new machine learning method for modeling of chemical reactions



Researchers have used machine learning to create a model that simulates reactive processes in organic materials and conditions.
Published Key advance toward removing common herbicide from groundwater



Chemists are closing in on a new tool for tackling the global problem of weedkiller-tainted groundwater.
Published Aluminum nanoparticles make tunable green catalysts



A nanotechnology pioneer has uncovered a transformative approach to harnessing the catalytic power of aluminum nanoparticles by annealing them in various gas atmospheres at high temperatures.
Published Harmful 'forever chemicals' removed from water with new electrocatalysis method



Scientists have developed new electrochemical approaches to clean up pollution from 'forever chemicals' found in clothing, food packaging, firefighting foams, and a wide array of other products. A new study describes nanocatalysts developed to remediate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.
Published Using light to precisely control single-molecule devices



Researchers flip the switch at the nanoscale by applying light to induce bonding for single-molecule device switching.
Published New method measures the 3D position of individual atoms



Since more than a decade it has been possible for physicists to accurately measure the location of individual atoms to a precision of smaller than one thousandth of a millimeter using a special type of microscope. However, this method has so far only provided the x and y coordinates. Information on the vertical position of the atom -- i.e., the distance between the atom and the microscope objective -- is lacking. A new method has now been developed that can determine all three spatial coordinates of an atom with one single image.
Published A key to the future of robots could be hiding in liquid crystals



Robots and cameras of the future could be made of liquid crystals, thanks to a new discovery that significantly expands the potential of the chemicals already common in computer displays and digital watches. The findings are a simple and inexpensive way to manipulate the molecular properties of liquid crystals with light exposure.
Published AI-enabled atomic robotic probe to advance quantum material manufacturing



Scientists have pioneered a new methodology of fabricating carbon-based quantum materials at the atomic scale by integrating scanning probe microscopy techniques and deep neural networks. This breakthrough highlights the potential of implementing artificial intelligence at the sub-angstrom scale for enhanced control over atomic manufacturing, benefiting both fundamental research and future applications.
Published It's not only opposites that attract -- new study shows like-charged particles can come together



A study shows that similarly charged particles can sometimes attract, rather than repel. The team found that like-charged particles suspended in liquids can attract one another at long-range, depending on the solvent and the sign of the charge. The study has immediate implications for processes that involve interactions in solution across various length-scales, including self-assembly, crystallization, and phase separation.
Published Turning waste into gold



Researchers have recovered gold from electronic waste. Their highly sustainable new method is based on a protein fibril sponge, which the scientists derive from whey, a food industry byproduct.
Published When the music changes, so does the dance: Controlling cooperative electronic states in Kagome metals



Playing a different sound track is, physically speaking, only a minute change of the vibration spectrum, yet its impact on a dance floor is dramatic. People long for this tiny trigger, and as a salsa changes to a tango completely different collective patterns emerge. For such a tiny stimulus to have an effect, the crowd needs to know more than just one dance. Electrons in metals tend to show only one behavior at zero temperature, when all kinetic energy is quenched.
Published A bright idea for recycling rare-earth phosphors from used fluorescent bulbs



Recycling facilities collect glass and mercury from thrown away fluorescent bulbs, but discarded lighting could also supply rare-earth metals for reuse. The 17 metals referred to as rare earths aren't all widely available and aren't easily extracted with existing recycling methods. Now, researchers have found a simpler way to collect slightly magnetic particles that contain rare-earth metals from spent fluorescent bulbs.
Published How molecular 'handedness' emerged in early biology



Chemists fill a major gap in origin-of-life theories.