Functional materials are physical systems engineered so that their intrinsic properties—such as electrical conductivity, magnetization, optical response, ionic mobility, or mechanical deformation—can be deliberately modulated by external stimuli (e.g., electric or magnetic fields, light, temperature, stress, or chemical environment) to perform specific tasks. They encompass classes such as ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, magnetoresistive and thermoelectric materials, shape-memory alloys, solid electrolytes, and stimuli-responsive polymers. In research and device design, functional materials serve as active components enabling sensing, actuation, energy conversion, information storage, and signal processing, with performance governed by their structure–property relationships across atomic, mesoscale, and macroscopic length scales.
A discovery by an international team of scientists has revealed room-temperature ferroelectric and resistive switching behaviors in single-element tellurium (Te) nanowires, paving the way for advancements in ultrahigh-density ...
Nanophysics
Nov 29, 2024
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96
As electronic devices get smaller, it's becoming harder to achieve high-quality connections that are both reliable and safe from short circuits. Researchers developed the array-ACF (anisotropic conductive adhesives film) ...
Nanomaterials
Nov 13, 2024
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26
Amidst the ongoing surge in demand for bio-MEMS, wearable/implantable electronics and bio-tissue therapeutics, the pursuit of piezoelectric biomaterials has become a priority, thanks to their remarkable electromechanical ...
Biosensors play a key role in medical research and diagnostics. At present, however, they generally have to be specially developed for each application. A team led by LMU chemist Philip Tinnefeld has developed a general, ...
Bio & Medicine
Nov 8, 2024
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45
A recent study has aimed to create hydrophobic paper by exploiting the mechanical properties and water resistance of cellulose nanofibers, and so produce a sustainable, high-performance material suitable for packaging and ...
Nanomaterials
Nov 5, 2024
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115
Nuclear fusion could be an ideal solution to mankind's energy problem, guaranteeing a virtually limitless source of power without greenhouse gas emissions. But there are still huge technological challenges to overcome before ...
Plasma Physics
Nov 5, 2024
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148
The next step for fully integrated textile-based electronics to make their way from the lab to the wardrobe is figuring out how to power the garment gizmos without unfashionably toting around a solid battery. Researchers ...
Nanomaterials
Oct 31, 2024
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63
Queen Mary University of London researchers have developed new nanocomposite films using starch instead of petroleum-based materials, marking a significant advancement in the field of sustainable electronics.
Nanomaterials
Oct 31, 2024
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79
Optical anti-counterfeiting technology, as a preventive measure, has deeply permeated our daily lives. Visually readable codes designed based on optical materials are widely used due to their ease of verification, reasonable ...
Optics & Photonics
Oct 15, 2024
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32
A class of material called perovskites, which have special electronic bonding with many applications, could be useful for quantum sensing.
Condensed Matter
Oct 15, 2024
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75
