https://phys.org/nanotech-news/nano-materials/ en-us The latest science news on nanomaterials, nanotechnology, nanoparticles and nanoscience. Engineering silicon carbide (SiC) with tailored morphologies for electronics and structural reinforcement materials has always been a costly and time-consuming affair, but scientists can now do it in a flash. A new study shows how discarded glass and silicon-rich coal waste can be turned into valuable SiC nanowires in seconds using a process known as Fluorine-Assisted Flash (FAF) Joule heating, where a quick pulse of electricity instantly heats up the reaction mixture to extremely high temperatures. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-upcycles-glass-sic-nanowires-seconds.html Nanomaterials Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:40:01 EDT news692353878 Researchers at Utrecht University have quantitatively mapped the three-dimensional structure of photonic supraparticles for the first time. Supraparticles are microscopic spheres composed of thousands of smaller colloidal particles. Until now, researchers could only examine the outer surface of these structures. Using a combination of super-resolution microscopy and machine learning, the team shows that particles that appear disorganized on the outside are often almost perfectly crystalline on the inside. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-3d-imaging-reveals-messy-supraparticles.html Nanophysics Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:40:01 EDT news692371589 AI has designed candidate drugs for antibiotic-resistant infections and genetic diseases. But efforts to incorporate AI into the design of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the revolutionary delivery vehicles behind mRNA therapies like the COVID-19 vaccines, have been much more limited. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-robotic-microfluidic-platform-ai-lipid.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:00:01 EDT news692285017 When mobile charge carriers, also known as itinerant electrons, interact with the strong exchange magnetic fields associated with the intrinsic angular momentum of localized electrons, this can give rise to the so-called Kondo effect. A Kondo insulator is a state of matter with an energy gap opened by the Kondo effect that forbids electrical conduction at low temperatures. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-2d-topological-kondo-insulator-moir.html Nanophysics Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:20:05 EDT news692014646 The electronic and magnetic properties of two-dimensional materials both have strong potential for technological applications. Researchers have long assumed that they are distinct phenomena, but Illinois Grainger engineers have demonstrated that they share a mathematical language. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-magnetic-graphene-equations-massless-electron.html Nanophysics Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:20:03 EDT news692027599 Most space missions rely on chemical rockets for propulsion. Rockets must carry fuel, which increases spacecraft mass and limits their speed and travel distance. For decades, researchers have explored light sails as an alternative. These devices use radiation pressure—the force exerted when light reflects from a surface—to generate thrust. When driven by a powerful laser, a light sail can accelerate continuously without onboard propellant, enabling faster travel across the solar system. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-laser-driven-photonic-crystals.html Nanophysics Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:00:02 EST news691947841 When most people hear "polymer," they think of plastics. In our group, polymerization is a way to line up identical molecules like beads on a string and let quantum mechanics take over. Put magnetic building blocks in a one-dimensional row and the chain can behave as a single quantum object. Even more intriguing, the chain can hide its most useful properties at its ends. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-chemically-tuning-nanographene-topological-chains.html Nanophysics Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:40:01 EST news691931086 Researchers from the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu have shown in a recently published study that antibacterial coatings which initially appear highly effective at destroying bacteria, may lose their performance over time. Therefore, long-term testing is essential for developing the best antibacterial materials. The article describing the results of the study, "Artificial aging induced changes in ZnO- and TiO₂-based polyacrylic surface coatings," was published in the journal npj Materials Degradation. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-antibacterial-coatings-short-term-effect.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:40:02 EST news691862209 Every chemical reaction faces a barrier: For substances to react with one another, it is first necessary to supply energy. In many cases, this energy barrier is low—such as when striking a match. For many key reactions in industry, however, it is much larger—and increased energy requirements drive up production costs. To lower this barrier, chemists use "reaction helpers" known as catalysts. The best of these substances contain metals—including, in some cases, rare metals. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-individual-atoms-fossil-free-chemistry.html Nanomaterials Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:00:04 EST news691840738 For the first time, researchers in France and Israel have observed how an emulsified liquid droplet can transform from a hexagon into a six-pointed star shape in response to rising temperature. Publishing their results in Physical Review Letters, a team led by Eli Sloutskin at Bar-Ilan University has shed new light on the mechanisms underlying this striking behavior, revealing a previously unseen form of "nano-origami," that could inspire future generations of self-assembling nanostructures. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-nano-origami-reshapes-liquid-droplets.html Nanophysics Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:20:04 EST news691838961 Scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a new way to determine atomic structures from nanocrystals previously considered unusable, a breakthrough that could transform how researchers study materials too small or imperfect for conventional crystallography. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-4d-stem-method-isolates-atomic.html Nanomaterials Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:17:13 EST news691820185 Crystalline nanomaterials are valuable because their highly ordered structures give them useful properties for technologies such as data storage and optical devices. But forming nanoparticles from those orderly crystals is difficult because, instead of snapping into place, the particles often get stuck in arrangements that never become the intended crystal. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-intermediate-phases-faster-nanoparticle-crystallization.html Nanophysics Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:20:01 EST news691771681 In recent years, van der Waals crystals have evolved from scientific curiosities into a versatile platform for exploring novel quantum phases and unconventional nanophotonic phenomena. Their layered nature allows stacking, twisting and interfacing with a remarkable atomic precision, enabling previously inaccessible electronic, optoelectronic and photonic functionalities at the nanoscale. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hyperbolic-plane-anisotropy-optical-chirality.html Nanophysics Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:50:03 EST news691780501 Strange things happen to materials when you peel them down, layer by layer, from thick chunks all the way to sheets just an atom thick. Reporting in the journal Nature Materials, a team led by physicists at The University of Texas at Austin has experimentally demonstrated a sequence of exotic magnetic phases in an ultrathin material that fully realizes, for the first time, a theoretical model of two-dimensional magnetism first proposed in the 1970s. The researchers say the advance might inspire new ultracompact technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-physicists-clock-magnetism-atomically-thin.html Nanophysics Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:50:02 EST news691691761 Chinese researchers have developed a photocatalytic membrane reactor that dramatically improves the synthesis of imines—a class of compounds essential to the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and advanced synthetic materials. Characterized by their C=N bond, imines are critical precursors in the synthesis of various high-value compounds, including oxaziridines, cucurbiturils, and quinolines. However, traditional imine synthesis methods rely on condensation reactions between amines and carbonyl compounds that often require dehydrating agents, strong acids, or costly catalysts, posing significant challenges for sustainable manufacturing. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-2d-membrane-reactor-photocatalytic-synthesis.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:20:06 EST news691688913 Atomically thin semiconductors such as tungsten disulfide (WS2) are promising materials for future photonic technologies. Despite being only a single layer of atoms thick, they host tightly bound excitons—pairs of electrons and holes that interact strongly with light—and can efficiently generate new colors of light through nonlinear optical processes such as second-harmonic generation. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-air-programmable-mie-voids-boost.html Nanophysics Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:30:01 EST news691687622 For nearly two decades, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have been studied as a complement or possible successor to silicon transistors, promising smaller, faster and more energy-efficient processors. To ease their production and testing process, much of the field has been benchmarking the potential of 2D semiconductors using an architecture that causes a phenomenon called "contact gating." https://phys.org/news/2026-02-lab-quietly-inflates-2d-transistor.html Nanomaterials Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:40:01 EST news691419361 Future devices will continue to probe the frontier of the very small, and at scales where functionality depends on mere atoms, even the tiniest flaw matters. Researchers at Rice University have shown that hard-to-spot defects in a widely used two-dimensional insulator can trap electrical charges and locally weaken the material, making it more likely to fail at lower voltages. The findings are published in Nano Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-technique-hidden-defects-boost-reliability.html Nanophysics Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:50:01 EST news691349222 Researchers have found a way to fabricate film-thin membranes imbued with super strength that could extend the durability of decarbonization technologies. Chemical engineers at The University of Queensland are harnessing an intricate building technique to produce the hyper-thin film membranes that boost the reliability, efficiency, and lifespan of key clean energy systems. The research is published in Nature Synthesis. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-nanochannel-method-ion-membranes-strong.html Nanomaterials Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:40:04 EST news691330141 Ultrathin, conductive films such as those made of graphene are widely used in modern optoelectronic devices, but it has been thought that their efficacy is fundamentally limited: they can absorb at most half of the incident light. A research group in China has now shown that absorption can be as high as 82.8% at light grazing angles nearly parallel to the film. This could not only significantly improve design efficiencies but sheds light on light-matter interactions at sizes much lower than the light's wavelength. Their work has been published in Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-absorption-limit-ultra-thin.html Nanophysics Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:00:08 EST news691324008 Researchers at UNSW have discovered a new way to make graphene, a remarkable "wonder material," using just discarded peanut shells. The development opens the door to cheaper, more sustainable electronics and energy storage devices and could help transform agricultural waste into valuable products inside phones and computers that are used every day by billions of people around the world. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-peanut-high-quality-futuristic-graphene.html Nanomaterials Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:20:02 EST news691318801 New generations of memristors could reliably store information directly within the molecular structures of graphene-like materials. In a new review published in Nanoenergy Advances, Gennady Panin of the Russian Academy of Sciences shows how these atomically thin materials are ideally suited for electrical circuits that mimic the function of our own brains—and could help address the vast power requirements of emerging AI technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-2d-memristors-ai-energy-problem.html Nanomaterials Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:20:07 EST news691236273 Shrinking ferroelectric tunnel junctions can significantly boost their performance in memory devices, as reported by researchers from Science Tokyo. The team fabricated nanoscale junctions directly on silicon substrates and analyzed conduction mechanisms across a wide temperature range and multiple device scales. They found that smaller junction areas produced much larger resistance contrasts between the "ON" and "OFF" states, demonstrating that miniaturization could directly improve both efficiency and reliability in future non-volatile memory technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-smaller-device-scaling-memory.html Nanophysics Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:40:01 EST news691155421 Chemists in South Korea have created a stable color-changing sensor that displays an easily quantifiable response to the pH of its surroundings. Published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering, Dong-Hwan Kim and colleagues at Sungkyunkwan University say their approach could pave the way for more reliable, affordable pH measurements across a broad range of real-world scenarios. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-nanopigment-sensor-tracks-ph-ten.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:40:01 EST news691147847 Using atomic-scale defects in diamond, researchers in China have gained unprecedented insights into the complex chemical processes that unfold at the interfaces between solid surfaces and their surroundings. Published in Physical Review Letters, the results reveal that water molecules can form a nanoscale, ice-like layer on diamond surfaces—with important implications for our understanding of interfacial dynamics. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-diamond-surfaces-thin-ice-layers.html Nanophysics Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:30:49 EST news691147795 Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new molecule which carries DNA into biological cells, to treat or vaccinate against illnesses. Many existing options rely on molecules with a strong positive charge, which can cause harmful inflammation. The team overcame this by using a neutral molecule and a new method to bind DNA to it, making it possible to deliver DNA into cells. Successful experiments in mice promise new, more effective therapies. The findings are published in the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-scientists-molecule-dna-cells.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:40:01 EST news691071842 A stretchy, conductive type of plastic could help power the next generation of implantable biomedical devices, like longer-lasting pacemakers or glucose monitors, according to Enrique Gomez, professor of chemical engineering at Penn State. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-stretchy-plastics-electricity-tiny-whisker.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:20:04 EST news691062601 In nature, tiny crystals known as nanocrystals are formed slowly over many years. Rocks and minerals react with air, water, and carbon dioxide in a process called chemical weathering. These reactions happen gently, at room temperature and normal pressure, gradually producing crystals so small they are invisible to the naked eye. Although slow, these natural processes create materials that are increasingly important in modern technologies, from electronics to medical devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-nature-method-zno-quantum-dots.html Nanomaterials Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:00:02 EST news690729269 By applying voltage to electrically control a new "transistor" membrane, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) achieved real-time tuning of ion separations—a capability previously thought impossible. The recent work, which could make precision separation processes like water treatment, drug delivery and rare earth element extraction more efficient, was published in Science Advances. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-transistor-mxene-membranes-ion.html Nanomaterials Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:16:49 EST news690732961 A nanodevice developed at EPFL produces an autonomous, stable current from evaporating saltwater by using heat and light to control the movement of ions and electrons. Previously, researchers in the Laboratory of Nanoscience for Energy Technology (LNET) in EPFL's School of Engineering reported a platform for studying the hydrovoltaic (HV) effect—a phenomenon that allows electricity to be harvested when fluid is passed over the charged surface of a nanodevice. Their platform consisted of a hexagonal network of silicon nanopillars, the space between which created channels for evaporating fluid samples. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-nanodevice-electricity-evaporation.html Nanophysics Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:33:34 EST news690712381