Water desalination picks up the pace
A membrane made of porous carbon-fiber structures grown on a porous ceramic substrate is more efficient at filtering seawater than existing similar membranes.
Last update Study reveals long-term effectiveness of therapy for common cause of kidney failure, 1 hour ago
Nanomaterials news
An atom-thick graphene membrane for industrial gas separation
Chemical engineers at EPFL have demonstrated for the first time that an atom-thick graphene membrane can separate gas mixtures with a high-efficiency. The "ultimate" membrane is scalable, making it a breakthrough for industrial ...
Nanocrystal links could lead to better electronics, scientists say
Chemists and engineers today are very interested in a kind of nanotechnology enabled by tiny islands of nanoparticles called "colloidal nanocrystals." They can be made out of abundant and non-toxic materials, and they can ...
In borophene, boundaries are no barrier—researchers make and test atom-thick boron's unique domains
Borophene, the atomically flat form of boron with unique properties, is even more interesting when different forms of the material mix and mingle, according to scientists at Rice and Northwestern universities.
New study finds folding graphene significantly enhances mechanical performance
An international team of researchers, affiliated with UNIST has discovered that folding is an efficient strategy to incorporate large-area monolayer graphene films on polymer composites and that doing so improves mechanical ...
Slippery when dry
Anyone who has ever taken their car in for an oil change recognizes the importance of reducing the friction that arises when steel touches steel.
Graphene could be key to controlling water evaporation
Graphene coatings may offer the ability to control the water evaporation process from various surfaces, according to new research.
Research finds new molecular structures in boron-based nanoclusters
Brown University researchers and collaborators from Tsinghua University in China have shown that nanoclusters made from boron and lanthanide elements form highly stable and symmetric structures with interesting magnetic properties.
How gold nanoparticles could improve solar energy storage
Star-shaped gold nanoparticles, coated with a semiconductor, can produce hydrogen from water over four times more efficiently than other methods—opening the door to improved storage of solar energy and other advances that ...
Graphene smart membranes can control water
Researchers at The University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute (NGI) have achieved a long-sought-after objective of electrically controlling water flow through membranes, as reported in Nature.
The 'shine' in gold particles has a new use – finding defects
That glint of gold has always captured our eyes, but now the precious metal has a new use – finding defects in 3-D printing.
Carbon is the new black
Engineers with the University of Cincinnati are leveraging a partnership with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to create clothing that can charge your cell phone.
Researchers improve conductive property of graphene, advancing promise of solar technology
In 2010, the Nobel Prize in Physics went to the discoverers of graphene. A single layer of carbon atoms, graphene possesses properties that are ideal for a host of applications. Among researchers, graphene has been the hottest ...
Manipulating single atoms with an electron beam
All matter is composed of atoms, which are too small to see without powerful modern instruments including electron microscopes. The same electrons that form images of atomic structures can also be used to move atoms in materials. ...
Graphene and the atomic crystals that could see next big breakthrough in tech
What could we do with layered structures with just the right layers? What would the properties of materials be if we could really arrange the atoms the way we want them?
Researchers simulate simple logic for nanofluidic computing
Invigorating the idea of computers based on fluids instead of silicon, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have shown how computational logic operations could be performed in a liquid ...
Scientists fine-tune carbon nanotubes for flexible, fingertip-wearable terahertz imagers
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed flexible terahertz imagers based on chemically tunable carbon nanotube materials. The findings expand the scope of terahertz applications to include wrap-around, ...
Bioinspired material mimics color changes of living organisms
A range of creatures, including chameleons, octopuses and frogs, can change color in response to changes in the environment. Some insights into the mechanisms behind this at the anatomical, cellular and molecular levels have ...
Thermal camouflage disguises hot and cold
Hunters don camouflage clothing to blend in with their surroundings. But thermal camouflage—or the appearance of being the same temperature as one's environment—is much more difficult. Now researchers, reporting in ACS' ...
Research shows graphene forms electrically charged crinkles
Researchers from Brown University have discovered another peculiar and potentially useful property of graphene, one-atom-thick sheets of carbon, that could be useful in guiding nanoscale self-assembly or in analyzing DNA ...
Thiol molecules drive gold atoms to form a forest of nanowires with useful properties
Adjustments to sulfur-containing molecules have enabled researchers to precisely control the growth of gold nanowires, which are potentially useful in various applications including biosensors and catalysis.
Nobarrier to applications for a remarkable 2-D material
Mass production of large, uniform sheets of single-layer molybdenum disulfide, MoS2, is difficult, which limits its commercial application. A*STAR researchers have modified an existing manufacturing technique to enable the ...
Graphene company partners with university to commercialise egg-unboiling machine
Technology capable of producing high-grade graphite at a price and scale viable for use in energy storage devices, coatings and polymers is being commercialised following the establishment of a new Australian company.
Researchers create one of the smallest nanoparticle stabilized nanoemulsions with new technique
MIE Assistant Professor Sushant Anand and his research associates have had multiple breakthroughs with their work on oil-water mixtures or "emulsions." Now, the researchers have taken their research to a new level by creating ...
Scientists suggest making electronic devices from 'carbon peas'
Scientists from the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Russia) have studied the properties of fullerene nanotubes, also known as "carbon peas," during stretching. The article on the project, which will help develop ...
Graphene assembled film shows higher thermal conductivity than graphite film
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a graphene assembled film that has over 60 percent higher thermal conductivity than graphite film – despite the fact that graphite simply consists ...
The deformation and mechanics of one-atom thin layer materials
In terms of the attention that graphene has been received in the past decade, no single material is comparable. As the interest and enthusiasm in graphene research continue, it calls for critical examination on the reliability ...
Not always bad—MXenes' spontaneous oxidation harnessed to create 2-D nanocomposites
Researchers at Missouri S&T have discovered a new way to harness the potential of a type of spontaneously oxidized MXene thin films, to create nanocomposites that could sense both light and the environment. Previously, such ...
Method could help boost large scale production of graphene
The measure by which any conductor is judged is how easily, and speedily, electrons can move through it. On this point, graphene is one of the most promising materials for a breathtaking array of applications. However, its ...
MXene's tour de force
Is there anything MXene materials can't do?
Research charts the way to more reliable carbon-based microelectronics
Carbon nanotubes – cylindrical formations of carbon atoms with incredible strength and electrical conductivity – hold great promise for creating new micron-scale low-power electronic devices.
Minimalist biostructures designed to create nanomaterials
Researchers of the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (IBB-UAB) have generated four peptides, molecules smaller than proteins, capable of self-assembling in a controlled manner to form nanomaterials. The research, ...
Graphene makes its mark on gas separation
Graphene Flagship researchers overcame the theoretical limiting performance of membranes in gas separation. This collaborative research from Graphene Flagship partners CNR, University of Bologna and Graphene-XT has potential ...
A sprinkle of platinum nanoparticles onto graphene makes brain probes more sensitive
Graphene electrodes could enable higher quality imaging of brain cell activity thanks to new research by a team of engineers and neuroscientists at the University of California San Diego.
Lab creates conductive 3-d carbon blocks that can be shaped for applications
Rice University scientists have developed a simple way to produce conductive, three-dimensional objects made of graphene foam.
Graphene carpets: So neurons communicate better
A study led by SISSA and published in Nature Nanotechnology reports for the first time the phenomenon of ion trapping by graphene carpets and its effect on the communication between neurons. The researchers have observed ...
Nano-decorations in nature's subsurface water filter
When bacteria and viruses get into well water and make people sick, often the contamination comes after heavy rain or flooding. In 2000, more than 2,300 people in Walkerton, Ontario, got sick when, after unusually heavy rains. ...
Scientists have a blast with aluminum nanoparticles
Army scientists proved a decades-old prediction that mixing TNT and novel aluminum nanoparticles can significantly enhance energetic performance. This explosive discovery is expected to extend the reach of U.S. Army firepower ...
Density gradient ultracentrifugation for colloidal nanostructures separation and investigation
Density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGUC), as an effective method for the purification of nanomaterials, has attracted research. A recent review was reported by Science Bulletin in a paper titled "Density gradient ultracentrifugation ...
Unzipping graphene nanotubes into nanoribbons
In a new study published in EPJ B, Basant Lal Sharma from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur provides a detailed analysis of how the flow of heat and electrons is affected at the interface between an 'armchair' shaped ...
Ocean carbon imaged on the atomic scale
Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in the ocean is one of the largest pools of reduced carbon on Earth. It's about 200 times larger than the living biosphere and comparable in size to the atmospheric CO2 reservoir. Due to its ...
Golden nanoglue completes the wonder material
In a recent study, scientists at the University of Oulu have developed a nanojunction, joining one of the most promising novel materials, molybdenum disulfide, with nickel.
Photoexcited graphene puzzle solved
Light detection and control lies at the heart of many modern device applications, such as smartphone cameras. Using graphene as a light-sensitive material for light detectors can offer significant improvements with respect ...
Traveling to the sun: Why won't Parker Solar Probe melt?
This summer, NASA's Parker Solar Probe will launch to travel closer to the Sun, deeper into the solar atmosphere, than any mission before it. If Earth was at one end of a yard-stick and the Sun on the other, Parker Solar ...
Researchers move closer to completely optical artificial neural network
Researchers have shown that it is possible to train artificial neural networks directly on an optical chip. The significant breakthrough demonstrates that an optical circuit can perform a critical function of an electronics-based ...
Future electronic components to be printed like newspapers
A new manufacturing technique uses a process similar to newspaper printing to form smoother and more flexible metals for making ultrafast electronic devices.
Complete fly brain imaged at nanoscale resolution
Two high-speed electron microscopes. 7,062 brain slices. 21 million images.
First fossilized snake embryo ever discovered rewrites history of ancient snakes
The first-ever discovery of an ancient snake embryo, preserved in 105-million-year-old amber, provides important new information on the evolution of modern snakes, according to a new study led by University of Alberta paleontologists.
From cradle to grave: Model identifies factors that shaped evolution
Understanding the many factors that have played into shaping the biodiversity within Earth's ecosystems can be daunting. In a major step to that end, an international team of researchers built a computer simulation that takes ...
Electron microscope detector achieves record resolution
Electron microscopy has allowed scientists to see individual atoms, but even at that resolution not everything is clear.
New insights into plants' conquest of land
The Earth is filled with diverse and remarkable plant forms from the tallest redwoods that pierce forest canopies, to the smallest mosses that blanket the ground underfoot.
In a warming climate, Arctic geese are rushing north
As Arctic temperatures continue to rise, migratory barnacle geese have responded by speeding up their 3,000-kilometer migration in order to reach their destination more quickly with fewer stops along the way, according to ...
Viruses cooperate to overcome immune defences of bacteria
Virus particles that infect bacteria can work together to overcome antiviral defences, new research shows.
First-ever habitat connectivity report using species data shows positive impact of policies on butterflies
Butterflies are benefitting from environmental action to increase their habitats, scientists have argued following a pioneering government report.
Newly discovered armored dinosaur from Utah reveals intriguing family history
Fossils of a new genus and species of an ankylosaurid dinosaur—Akainacephalus johnsoni— have been unearthed in the Kaiparowits Formation of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM), in Kane County, southern ...
New study puts a figure on sea-level rise following Antarctic ice shelves' collapse
An international team of scientists has shown how much sea level would rise if Larsen C and George VI, two Antarctic ice shelves at risk of collapse, were to break up. While Larsen C has received much attention due to the ...
Research suggests another way Neanderthals were like us: They could start their own fires
Humans may not have been the only hominids who knew how to start a fire long ago. New research suggests that as early as 50,000 years ago, Neanderthals wielded this power as well.
Red-light cameras don't reduce traffic accidents or improve public safety: analysis
Red-light cameras don't reduce the number of traffic accidents or injuries at intersections where the devices are installed, according a new analysis by Case Western Reserve University.
Infrared sensor as new method for drug discovery
Using an infrared sensor, biophysicists at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have succeeded in analysing quickly and easily which active agents affect the structure of proteins and how long that effect lasts. Thus, Prof Dr. ...
Fruit fly species can learn each other's dialects
Fruit flies from different species can warn each other when parasitic wasps are near. But according to a new study led by Balint Z. Kacsoh of Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, published July 19th in PLOS Genetics, they ...
Deep-diving scientists say shallow reefs can't rely on twilight zone systems for recovery
New findings suggest that out-of-sight deep reefs are unique habitats in need of protection. A team of highly trained scientific divers—led by researchers from the California Academy of Sciences—explored Pacific and western ...
Rapid cloud clearing phenomenon could provide another piece of climate puzzle
Researchers from North Carolina State University have described rapid and dramatic clearing of low cloud cover off the southwest coast of Africa. This newly observed phenomenon could help climatologists understand how clouds ...
Ultra-bright early galaxies may be less common than we think
Ultra-bright galaxies in the early universe may be less common than initially thought, new research conducted using the Hubble Space Telescope has found.
Chemists characterize the fatal fungus among us
Life-threatening fungal infections affect more than two million people worldwide. Effective antifungal medications are very limited. Until now, one of the major challenges is that the fungal cell wall is poorly understood, ...
Shooting stars on demand: Japan start-up plans 2020 meteor shower
A Japanese start-up developing "shooting stars on demand" says it will be ready to deliver the world's first artificial meteor shower in a spectacular show over Hiroshima in early 2020.
New analysis tool could bolster development of efficient engines and fuel
A newly developed analysis method can detect hydroxyl radicals (OH) with unprecedented sensitivity. Because OH is a critical component in the combustion processes that power most vehicles, the new approach could advance the ...
Monkeys benefit from the nut-cracking abilities of chimpanzees and hogs
To investigate the scavenging behaviour first author Bryndan van Pinxteren of the University of Amsterdam analysed all video material from the camera traps by scoring the visiting behaviour of mangabey monkeys, fowl species ...
Evidence of Salmonella Paratyphi C found for the first time in medieval northern Europe
Genome research conducted by the University of Warwick suggests that enteric fever, a potentially lethal disease more commonly found in hot countries, was present in medieval Europe.
Computer model predicts how fracturing metallic glass releases energy at the atomic level
Metallic glasses—alloys lacking the crystalline structure normally found in metals—are an exciting research target for tantalizing applications, including artificial joints and other medical implant devices. However, ...
Robot chemist discovers new molecules and reactions
A new type of artificial-intelligence-driven chemistry could revolutionise the way molecules are discovered, scientists claim.
Scientists lack vital knowledge on rapid Arctic climate change
Arctic climate change research relies on field measurements and samples that are too scarce, and patchy at best, according to a comprehensive review study from Lund University in Sweden. The researchers looked at thousands ...
Puzzling results explained—a multiband approach to Coulomb drag and indirect excitons
Mystifying experimental results obtained independently by two research groups in the USA seemed to show coupled holes and electrons moving in the opposite direction to theory.
A possibly better way to measure our own galaxy speed moving through space
A pair of physicists at Aix-Marseille University has offered a possible way to measure the speed of our own galaxy more accurately as it moves through space. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, ...
Find more news articles via sort by date page
