https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. From household plastic packaging to the flexible frameworks that support wearable electronics, polymer materials form the invisible backbone of modern life. At a microscopic level, polymers consist of long, ribbon-like molecular chains that are entangled into a disorganized mass resembling a bowl of cooked noodles. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-precise-polymer-uncover-hidden-slack.html Polymers Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:20:02 EDT news699533461 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 Professor Kyungwho Choi's team of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, in collaboration with Professor Jinsoo Kim's team in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kyung Hee University, have proposed a strategy that simultaneously overcomes the limitations of conventional hydrogel-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs)—namely low output performance, poor mechanical strength, and insufficient transparency—by utilizing biomimetic stevia. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-everyday-sweetener-powerful-transparent-stretchable.html Materials Science Mon, 11 May 2026 11:20:06 EDT news697713363 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 Just as embroiderers, with needle and thread, can transform plain fabric into an intricate pattern, engineers can use lasers and polymers to create flexible, complex structures that could transform life-saving sensing technology. An interdisciplinary team at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering has developed a new manufacturing strategy that reveals where and how laser-induced graphene (LIG) forms on polymers. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-precise-patterns-lasers.html Nanophysics Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:10:01 EDT news694710842 Monash University researchers have captured the exact atomic movements that write data to next-generation memory devices, which could pave the way for smaller, faster and more energy-efficient electronics. Published in Nature Communications, the study was led by Dr. Kousuke Ooe, a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellow in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University who is first author of the paper, in collaboration with Australian Laureate Professor Joanne Etheridge and researchers from the Japan Fine Ceramics Center, Kyoto University, and the University of Osaka. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-capture-atoms-motion-generation.html Condensed Matter Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:00:02 EDT news694169171 Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have developed a new electrolyte system that significantly boosts the energy-harvesting performance of twistrons, which are carbon nanotube yarns that generate electricity when repeatedly stretched. The findings could aid in the manufacturing of intelligent textiles, such as fabrics used to make spacesuits, that would power wearable electronic devices or sensors by harvesting energy from human motion. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-heavy-energy-potential-carbon-nanotube.html Nanomaterials Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:40:04 EDT news692449381 Nano-sensors that work without batteries or wires could pave the way for more comfortable, less obtrusive sleep and health care monitoring at home, according to scientists at the University of Surrey. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-battery-free-nano-sensors-pave.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:11:50 EST news688299061 Wearable health care devices—such as glucose monitors, ultrasound patches and blood-pressure monitors—can be invaluable for keeping patients safe. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-health-electronics-booming-sustainable.html Environment Sat, 17 Jan 2026 11:00:05 EST news687437890 Graphene has long been hailed as a "wonder material." It is incredibly strong, highly conductive and almost impossibly thin—just one atom thick. These properties make it a promising candidate for next-generation technologies such as flexible electronics, wearable devices and printed sensors. Yet despite years of research, turning graphene into practical, printable inks has remained a major challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-graphene-derived-material-generation-electronics.html Nanomaterials Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:40:01 EST news687604955 The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology behind flexible cell phones, curved monitors, and televisions could one day be used to make on-skin sensors that show changes in temperature, blood flow, and pressure in real time. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-nanomaterial-flex-mxene-electrodes-oled.html Nanophysics Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:00:12 EST news687520165 Imagine wearable health sensors, smart packaging, flexible displays, or disposable IoT controllers all manufactured like printed newspapers. The same technology could underpin communication circuits, sensors, and signal-processing components made entirely from solution-processed 2D materials. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-framework-2d-materials-printable-electronics.html Nanophysics Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:20:04 EST news684166621 Modern devices, from fitness trackers and smart garments to Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, require compact and sustainable power sources. In new research published in Scientific Reports, scientists present an energy harvester based on a horizontally mounted vial half-filled with a biodegradable ferrofluid. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-sloshing-ferrofluids-harness-vibration-energy.html Nanophysics Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:54:02 EST news683218441 Picture the smartphone in your pocket, the data centers powering artificial intelligence, or the wearable health monitors that track your heartbeat. All of them rely on energy-hungry memory chips to store and process information. As demand for computing resources continues to soar, so does the need for memory devices that are smaller, faster, and far more efficient. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-atom-thin-crystals-power-future.html Nanophysics Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:14:04 EDT news676887241 Flexible pressure sensors can detect subtle mechanical stimuli, making them suitable for use in wearable sensors for human health monitoring and motion analysis. However, current sensors suffer from insufficient sensitivity, poor durability, and subpar stability. In a new study, taking inspiration from cat whiskers, researchers developed novel biomass fiber/sodium alginate aerogel (BFA)-based sensors that demonstrated excellent pressure sensitivity, durability, and rapid response, while being suitable for human physiological monitoring and motion analysis. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-cat-whiskers-highly-sensitive-generation.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:20:13 EDT news676727295 A research team has developed a next-generation display core material with excellent stretchability and superior color reproduction. The team developed a high-performance color-conversion layer that is more flexible and vivid than conventional ones. This layer was successfully applied to the development of a stretchable micro-LED display, drawing significant attention. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-quantum-dot-polymer-linking-enables.html Nanomaterials Mon, 08 Sep 2025 15:14:03 EDT news676563241 Could clothing monitor a person's health in real time, because the clothing itself would be a self-powered sensor? A new material created through electrospinning, which is a process that draws out fibers using electricity, brings this possibility one step closer. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-flexible-fiber-material-powered-health.html Condensed Matter Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:00:19 EDT news673110015 Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed an environmentally safer type of plastic that can be used for wearable electronics, sensors and other electrical applications. The material, a so-called ferroelectric polymer, is made without fluorine, considered a "forever" chemical that hurts the environment because compounds made with it don't break down quickly or at all. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-eco-friendly-plastic-flexible-electronic.html Polymers Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:57:03 EDT news670780621 Researchers at Boise State University have developed a novel, environmentally friendly triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that is fully printed and capable of harvesting biomechanical and environmental energy while also functioning as a real-time motion sensor. The innovation leverages a composite of Poly (vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) (PVBVA) and MXene (Ti3C2Tx) nanosheets, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional TENGs that often rely on fluorinated polymers and complex fabrication. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-mxene-polymer-composite-enables-eco.html Nanomaterials Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:10:06 EDT news669312601 With recent advancements in technology, the Internet of Things and wireless devices are in high demand. However, these innovations also raise concerns about prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR), which may pose potential risks to eye health. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-mxene-coated-lenses-safer-smarter.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 03 Jun 2025 21:00:01 EDT news668163961 In a world increasingly driven by high-speed communication and low-power electronics, a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has proposed a fundamentally new way of manipulating light using the geometry of matter itself. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-ballistic-electrons-gen-terahertz-devices.html Nanophysics Thu, 29 May 2025 10:15:03 EDT news667732501 Dr. Han Joong Tark's team at KERI's Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center has successfully fabricated "functional wires," which are the foundation of wearable electronic devices, by directly applying the existing synthetic fiber processing methods. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-carbon-nanotube-wires-wearables-crafted.html Nanomaterials Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:06:04 EDT news661601162 Plastic that conducts electricity might sound impossible. But there is a special class of materials known as "electronic polymers" that combines the flexibility of plastic with the functionality of metal. This type of material opens the door for breakthroughs in wearable devices, printable electronics and advanced energy storage systems. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-lab-electronic-polymers-discovery.html Polymers Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:22:04 EST news659092921 Researchers successfully developed a multifunctional sensor based on semiconductor fibers that emulates the five human senses. The technology developed in the study is expected to be utilized in a variety of state-of-the-art technology fields, such as wearables, Internet of Things (IoT), electronic devices, and soft robotics. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-gen-fibers-smart-textile-pressure.html Nanomaterials Tue, 21 Jan 2025 12:56:02 EST news656686561 As the demand for thinner, lighter, and more flexible electronic devices grows, the need for advanced manufacturing processes has become critical. Polyimide (PI) films are widely used in these applications due to their excellent thermal stability and mechanical flexibility. They are crucial for emerging technologies like rollable displays, wearable sensors, and implantable photonic devices. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-graphene-technique-ultrathin-flexible-electronics.html Nanomaterials Wed, 08 Jan 2025 12:19:03 EST news655561141 Polymers have gained prominence in applications such as wearable electronics due to their flexibility and lightweight, but their low electrical conductivity has been a major drawback. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-polymeric-nanomaterials-substances-extreme-environments.html Nanomaterials Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:35:44 EST news651753335 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. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-starch-nanocomposite-pave-green.html Nanomaterials Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:32:03 EDT news649589521 The use of wearable electronics that continuously monitor biosignals has transformed the health care and fitness industries. These devices are becoming increasingly common and are projected to reach a market valuation of approximately USD 572.06 billion by 2033. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-flexible-durable-bioelectrodes-future-health.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:46:03 EDT news639218762 A material with a high electron mobility is like a highway without traffic. Any electrons that flow into the material experience a commuter's dream, breezing through without any obstacles or congestion to slow or scatter them off their path. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-electron-mobility-crystal.html Condensed Matter Mon, 01 Jul 2024 11:33:04 EDT news639052381 A team of researchers from NIMS (National Institute for Materials Science), Hokkaido University and Meiji Pharmaceutical University has developed a gel electret capable of stably retaining a large electrostatic charge. The team then combined this gel with highly flexible electrodes to create a sensor capable of perceiving low-frequency vibrations (e.g., vibrations generated by human motion) and converting them into output voltage signals. This device may potentially be used as a wearable health care sensor. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-power-generating-gel-electret-based.html Nanomaterials Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:16:11 EDT news638104568