https://phys.org/nanotech-news/nano-materials/ en-us The latest science news on nanomaterials, nanotechnology, nanoparticles and nanoscience. Energy engineers worldwide are working on various new technologies that could help to limit greenhouse gas emissions on Earth and address climate change. One proposed alternative to polluting fossil fuels, such as petrol, diesel and natural gas, is hydrogen. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanoengineered-materials-hydrogen-room-temperature.html Nanomaterials Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:00:05 EDT news699274199 Using finely tuned nanoscale building blocks, researchers from Brown University and the University of Michigan College of Engineering have stabilized a fleeting structural phase of matter that had been predicted theoretically but never before stabilized in a physical material. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-silver-nanoparticles-enable-theorized-previously.html Nanophysics Thu, 28 May 2026 17:30:01 EDT news699201122 Heat behaves in predictable ways: a hot cup of coffee cools, a laptop warms your hands, the sun heats Earth. But at scales thousands of times smaller than a human hair, those rules begin to break down, and scientists are learning how to take advantage of that. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-metamaterials-enable-nanoscale-potentially-energy.html Nanophysics Wed, 27 May 2026 17:40:05 EDT news699116822 Researchers from Monash University have developed a breakthrough nanoscale circuit that can generate, direct, and read light-based information, all on a single chip. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tiny-chip-circuit-power-generation.html Nanophysics Tue, 26 May 2026 04:00:02 EDT news698662142 Magnetic switching processes are considered a prime example of controllable physics at the nanometer scale: in certain thin-film systems, a short electrical current pulse is sufficient to reverse the magnetization in a targeted way. The underlying effect is the so-called spin–orbit torque: the current exerts a force on the magnetic moments in the material and can thus flip them in a controlled manner. This effect is expected to enable new data storage and computing architectures in the future. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chaos-turbulent-birth-magnetic-nanovortices.html Nanophysics Sun, 24 May 2026 16:00:01 EDT news698669668 A German–Israeli research team led by Dr. Andreas Furchner has demonstrated how imaging ellipsometry enables non-destructive characterization and quality control of microstructured MXene thin films during device fabrication. The authors used two complementary ellipsometry approaches for precise, multi-scale access to key material properties. The work positions imaging ellipsometry as a powerful platform for monitoring thin-film uniformity, device integrity, and functionality throughout processing, including critical lithographic steps. The study was published in Applied Physics Letters and selected as an Editor's Pick. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-imaging-ellipsometry-tracks-mxene-thin.html Nanophysics Fri, 22 May 2026 18:40:01 EDT news698678101 A new chip-making technique exploits a material's crystal structure to create nanoscale patterns at room temperature directly onto hard materials used in devices, including silica. The method could make it easier to pattern chips relaying both electronic- and light-based signals, helping advance next-generation photonic and optoelectronic devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-stressed-crystal-nanoscale-patterns-chip.html Nanophysics Fri, 22 May 2026 11:00:07 EDT news698662022 Complexity may seem subjective, but a quantitative measure of the complexity of nanomaterials was recently developed by a team of researchers from the University of Michigan Engineering, the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Their metric promises to take nanomaterials engineering from a process of discovery to one of design, enabling engineers to produce combinations of properties not seen in natural or existing man-made materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-complexity-isnt-subjective-amount-results.html Nanomaterials Thu, 21 May 2026 18:20:01 EDT news698594941 Living systems such as cells rely on membrane pores and channels to transport molecules, exchange signals, and organize biochemical reactions. These functions emerge from dynamic interactions between molecular components. Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have used DNA nanotechnology to develop a synthetic membrane architecture that mimics such interactions. The new platform enables coordinated molecular transport and programmable biochemical reactions inside an artificial compartment. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-coupled-dna-nanopores-molecular-traffic.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 21 May 2026 15:40:02 EDT news698592782 A sheet of twisted carbon nanotubes has revealed a hidden talent scientists suspected for decades but had never managed to measure. Researchers at Rice University have created large, highly ordered films of chiral carbon nanotubes (CNTs), hollow cylinders of carbon atoms with either a left- or a right-handed twist. Measurements showed the crystalline films can convert the color of light at a rate two to three orders of magnitude greater than conventional materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chiral-carbon-nanotube-giant-conversion.html Nanophysics Wed, 20 May 2026 12:00:05 EDT news698494921 Researchers at Clarkson University are advancing the use of artificial intelligence and computational physics to accelerate discovery of next-generation materials for quantum technologies, optoelectronics, and renewable energy applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-scale-simulations-ai-uncover.html Nanophysics Tue, 19 May 2026 18:20:01 EDT news698426281 Gold nanoparticles, which are about one-thousandth the width of a human hair, can convert light they receive from a laser into heat. This capacity, known in medicine as photothermal therapy, is effective at destroying cancer cells without harming the surrounding healthy tissue. It's one of the techniques the scientific community is exploring in depth as an alternative chemotherapy, as it is less aggressive. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-shell-gold-nanoparticles-laser-longer.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 19 May 2026 15:00:08 EDT news698415541 A research team led by Professor Sohee Jeong at Sungkyunkwan University has uncovered a key chemical pathway for the controlled synthesis of III–V semiconductor quantum dots, a class of next-generation infrared materials expected to play an important role in autonomous driving sensors, smart sensing systems, night-vision devices, and short-wave infrared optoelectronics. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chemical-pathway-generation-infrared-iiiv.html Nanophysics Mon, 18 May 2026 13:20:05 EDT news698322061 If you have ever warped a cheap plastic cup by pouring coffee into it, then you have witnessed thermoplasticity in action. Thermoplasticity is the ability of a material to become pliable under heating. In industry, thermoplasticity is exploited to form materials into complex shapes using heat. However, some materials, such as aggregates of nanoparticles, are not thermoplastic and cannot be easily processed without affecting their particle morphology and properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-exploiting-interfacial-ionic-mobility-moldable.html Nanophysics Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:09 EDT news698068921 Controlling heat flow is a major challenge for many technologies. In electronic and photonic devices, for example, heat dissipation can limit the performance and efficiency, as well as their potential for further miniaturization. At the same time, two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are made of layers just a few atoms thick, have emerged as a promising platform in these fields. For example, 2D semiconductors are expected to be used in conduction channels of future transistors. However, their thermal behavior remains difficult to predict and control. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-honey-regime-ultrathin-semiconductors.html Nanophysics Fri, 15 May 2026 09:20:01 EDT news698054064 How do sea squirts stay attached to rocks amid crashing waves and strong currents? Recent research has revealed that sea squirts do not simply secrete adhesive substances. Instead, they possess a unique system where they package these materials into nano-sized (nm) condensates, deliver them to the destination, and then unpack them for use onsite. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sea-squirts-nano-packaging-delivery.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 15 May 2026 09:07:46 EDT news698054822 Have you ever wondered if the simple building blocks of life could one day power our wearable electronics? Glycine, the simplest amino acid found in our bodies, has a superpower in its β-phase form: it is highly piezoelectric, meaning it can convert mechanical pressure into electricity. However, this phase of glycine is unstable, usually transforming into a non-piezoelectric α-phase before we can ever use it in a device. We wanted to see if we could trap this elusive phase in tiny spaces to keep it stable. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-stability-range-piezoelectric-glycine-nanoconfinement.html Nanophysics Wed, 13 May 2026 19:20:01 EDT news697886383 The task of gently transporting a microscopic particle from one point to another along a winding path, and then bringing it back using nothing more than a single, compact chip is a challenge we set out to address in our new study, now published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-optical-metaconveyors-enable-programmable-nanomanipulation.html Nanophysics Wed, 13 May 2026 18:00:02 EDT news697800686 As modern technologies shrink to the nanoscale, surfaces increasingly dictate how materials deform, yield, and fail. Yet probing this regime has long been hindered by the challenge of preparing and controlling surfaces with true atomic precision, particularly at the outermost atomic layer. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-atomic-stepterrace-enables-unprecedented-precision.html Nanomaterials Wed, 13 May 2026 09:09:37 EDT news697882141 When inorganic nanoparticles come together, their optical, electronic, and magnetic properties depend strongly on how they are arranged. Being able to reorganize these arrangements in a controlled way could therefore provide a powerful method for tuning material properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-gold-nanoparticles-liquid-path-materials.html Nanophysics Wed, 13 May 2026 08:39:46 EDT news697880341 Using a new technique that can create vacancies at any site across a material and then shrink it to about 1/2,000 of its original volume, MIT researchers have designed nanotechnology devices that could be used for optical computing and other applications involving the manipulation of visible light. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-implosion-3d-photonic-devices-visible.html Nanophysics Tue, 12 May 2026 10:40:08 EDT news697796401 For more than a decade, a fundamental mystery has surrounded graphene—the one-atom-thick "wonder material" known for its exceptional strength, conductivity, and transparency. Despite its seemingly simple structure, one basic question has remained unresolved: Does graphene attract water, or repel it? https://phys.org/news/2026-05-machine-graphene-hydrophobic.html Nanophysics Mon, 11 May 2026 11:40:01 EDT news697713371 A nanocrystal is an extraordinarily tiny piece of material—composed of anywhere from a few to a few thousand atoms—in which atoms are arranged in a precise, ordered structure. Think of it like taking a piece of gold and shrinking it down to the size of a few hundred atoms. It's still gold, still crystalline, just almost incomprehensibly small. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-combine-metals-nanocrystal.html Nanomaterials Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:11 EDT news697361581 Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and collaborators have developed a predictive design strategy for creating graphene-like molecules with multiple interacting spins and enhanced resilience to magnetic perturbations, opening new avenues for molecular-scale quantum information technologies and next-generation spintronics. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-hourglass-nanographenes-strong-robust-multi.html Nanophysics Wed, 06 May 2026 19:30:01 EDT news697306681 The growing popularity of electronic devices—from fitness trackers and laptops to smartphones—is driving demand for more energy-efficient computing chips. Now, researchers have found a way to change the electronic properties of a common semiconductor material, potentially laying the foundation for faster, lower-power data storage and processing. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-pathway-energy-efficient-chips.html Nanophysics Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:05 EDT news697296121 A recent study shows a new and potentially more energy-efficient way for information to be transmitted inside electronic systems, including computers and phones—without relying on electric currents or external magnetic fields. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-atom-thin-materials-reveals-energy.html Nanophysics Wed, 06 May 2026 16:40:10 EDT news697291562 Photodetectors remain a critical component in the development of advanced electronics and photonics, particularly in the role of signal readout through the conversion of photons into electrons. These digital imaging components are ubiquitous in sensors, cameras, adaptive displays, telecommunications, LiDAR systems, health monitoring wearables, and oximeters. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-solar-2d-heterostructure-responsivity-gain.html Nanophysics Tue, 05 May 2026 16:40:05 EDT news697195813 An international research team involving the Institute for Photonic Quantum Systems (PhoQS) at Paderborn University has made significant progress in researching so-called quantum materials. Their extraordinary properties—electrical conductivity, magnetism and superconductivity—make them relevant for applications such as artificial intelligence and quantum computers. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-rotated-lithium-niobate-crystals-interfaces.html Nanophysics Tue, 05 May 2026 10:20:05 EDT news697191323 A new autonomous laboratory recently navigated through billions of potential material synthesis recipes to identify brighter, lead-free light-emitting nanomaterials in just 12 hours. The work could accelerate development of safer light-emitting nanoplatelets for use in applications ranging from photodetectors to the production of fuel from solar energy. A paper describing this work appears in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-powered-lab-brighter-free.html Nanomaterials Mon, 04 May 2026 18:20:02 EDT news697125962 To capture a crisp image of a hummingbird in flight, which can flap its wings up to 200 times per second, a photographer needs a camera with an extremely fast shutter speed. But what if your target is smaller than a single chromosome and can travel at velocities approaching lightspeed? Conventional cameras, no matter how advanced, are limited by the nature of light. You would need a special device and an innovative method to film such a tiny, speedy subject. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chemists-capture-hybrid-particles-distances.html Nanophysics Mon, 04 May 2026 15:40:09 EDT news697119482