https://phys.org/nanotech-news/nano-materials/ en-us The latest science news on nanomaterials, nanotechnology, nanoparticles and nanoscience. Scientists from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, in collaboration with teams from the National University of Singapore and Radboud University in the Netherlands, have observed single-photon emission from layered two-dimensional material ZnPS₃. This discovery represents a crucial step toward establishing low-dimensional materials as a versatile platform for quantum information science. The research findings were published in the journal ACS Nano. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-layered-znps-emits-photons-path.html Nanophysics Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:10:01 EDT news702055261 A University at Buffalo-led team of researchers has developed a method for producing advanced nanoparticles that could accelerate the discovery of new materials for energy and electronic applications. The study, published in Nature Communications, introduces a one-step process that rapidly combines multiple metals into uniform nanoparticles in milliseconds. This allows researchers to quickly produce and explore a wider range of material combinations than was previously possible. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-onestep-generates-high-entropy-alloy.html Nanomaterials Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:00:08 EDT news702042192 Nonlinear optical materials are essential for advanced photonics and laser technologies, but researchers are still searching for ways to optimize organic, carbon-based alternatives. Using computational modeling, scientists demonstrated that adding a lithium atom to the outside of a carbon molecule made of 12 benzene rings creates a material with exceptionally strong optical responses. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-lithium-doped-carbon-nanorings-generation.html Nanophysics Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:30:01 EDT news701439394 Plasma is an ionized gas, often referred to as the fourth state of matter. Plasmas, which are created artificially by applying energy to a gas, are found in the fluorescent tubes that illuminate kitchens. However, they have many other possible applications, such as the production of graphene. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-plasma-graphene-combine-metal-surfaces.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news701700902 More accurate navigation systems and improved wireless communications may not come from traditional electronics, but rather from atoms. Researchers at Penn State and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new way to build tinier, smarter glass sensors filled with highly precise and stable atoms. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-glass-cells-atoms-path-smarter.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:40:04 EDT news701699108 Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are tiny carbon-based nanomaterials that have attracted increasing attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional heavy-metal quantum dots. They are lightweight, photostable and potentially biocompatible, and their light absorption and emission properties can be tuned. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-atomic-defects-carbon-quantum-dots.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news701696975 A research team has developed a new strategy to simultaneously control the electronic and magnetic properties of oxide thin films through a process known as exsolution. The team was led by Professor Hyeon Han and Professor Donghwa Lee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), together with Professor Sang Ho Oh's group at Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH). The findings are published in the journal Advanced Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanoparticle-exsolution-route-functional-oxide.html Nanophysics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:00:01 EDT news701624281 McGill University researchers have developed a light-detecting nanoscale structure that mimics how a neuron processes information. The neuron-like behavior emerges from the materials themselves, reducing the energy demand associated with similar devices that rely on circuits or software. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-inorganic-nanoscale-device-neuron-doors.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 25 Jun 2026 17:00:07 EDT news701617881 Materials scientists at Rice University have developed a new workflow methodology for measuring microscopic defects in diamond and other advanced semiconductor materials. By making it easier to spot flaws that can undermine performance, the approach could accelerate the development of more reliable electronic and quantum devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-defect-automated-diamond-advanced-semiconductors.html Nanophysics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:20:07 EDT news701617317 Plants convert light into energy efficiently through photosynthesis—an ability that scientists and engineers still struggle to match with electronic devices. Recently, researchers have looked beyond traditional semiconductor materials to create devices using a promising class of materials called nanoplasmonics. These tiny metal structures can absorb and concentrate optical energy and generate energetic charge carriers. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-artificial-leaf-powers-wireless-biomedical.html Nanophysics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:00:03 EDT news701599443 Water is the most studied molecule on Earth, yet a surprisingly basic question has gone unanswered for decades: When water is squeezed into gaps just a few molecules wide—as happens inside nanoscale pores, membranes and biological channels—does it become more or less chemically reactive? https://phys.org/news/2026-06-chemistry-nanoscale-spaces.html Nanomaterials Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:20:09 EDT news701596982 Researchers at Tohoku University have uncovered the long-standing mystery behind the synthesis of Janus two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, paving the way for more precise manufacturing of materials used in future electronics and clean energy technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-electron-buildup-2d-interface-reveals.html Nanophysics Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:40:09 EDT news701529061 Living cells constantly exchange ions (i.e., charged particles) via the thin barrier that surrounds their interior, known as the outer membrane. Neuroscientists and medical researchers have long been trying to devise effective methods to measure this exchange of ions, which is known to be associated with communication between neurons and various other crucial physiological processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-artificial-dna-tiles-drugs-neurons.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:01 EDT news701516330 This April, when the spring breeze carried the formal acceptance notice of our paper by the Journal of the American Chemical Society to my desk, my thoughts instantly drifted back to the late Phil Geissler. A legendary physical chemist and the original spark for this research, Geissler had once observed a baffling phenomenon: When the hairy, flexible ligands passivating a nanoparticle's surface spontaneously order themselves into crystalline patterns, a massive, seemingly magical attractive force suddenly erupts between the particles. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-liquid-ripples-rewrite-year-biological.html Nanophysics Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:00:08 EDT news701427498 New instruments on the horizon promise the most precise tools yet to study and experiment on the smallest and most complex materials ever manufactured. In a paper published in the journal Nature Materials, University of Cincinnati assistant professor Hanxun Jin highlighted advances in ultrasensitive technology to measure and manipulate some of the tiniest nanomaterials used in manufacturing, aerospace, medicine and more. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-advances-materials-science-secrets-nanomaterials.html Nanomaterials Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:40:07 EDT news701425442 Whenever someone asks ChatGPT a question, heat is generated somewhere in the server room—a data center. When an electric vehicle battery generates heat during operation, the heat must be managed continuously. Manufacturing processes also generate large amounts of waste heat, much of which is simply released into the atmosphere. But what if we could convert this waste heat back into electricity? Recently, a research team in Korea brought this possibility one step closer to reality. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanotube-based-thermoelectrics-pathway-energy.html Nanophysics Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:20:01 EDT news701361841 Materials engineers have developed the ability to manipulate structure and matter at the nanoscale for solid-state alloys called intermetallics, making it possible to alter their properties for improved performance. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanoscale-coal-gpa-strength-plastic.html Nanomaterials Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:00:02 EDT news700932224 A team at the University of Basel, Switzerland, has developed a versatile nanorobot with propulsion and payload modules. The two reusable modules autonomously self-assemble and could be used in medicine or industry. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-modular-nanorobot-cancer-cells-viability.html Bio & Medicine Sun, 21 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news700914551 Researchers have developed a novel class of nanotube membranes that enable ultrafast ion transport. The findings open new pathways for high-efficiency clean energy generation, lithium recovery and molecular separation. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanotube-membranes-reveal-unusually-fast.html Nanomaterials Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:04 EDT news701017579 Why does water roll off a duck's back but spread on clean glass? For macroscopic (millimeter-scale) drops, this behavior can be explained using continuum theory. However, when nanoscale (10–9 mm) droplets spread on surfaces, a force called line tension becomes relevant and mysteriously changes sign. Questions about the nature of this force and its relevance to water's interaction with surfaces have remained unanswered. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-molecular-simulations-uncover-nanodrops-thin.html Nanophysics Fri, 19 Jun 2026 05:00:03 EDT news701010061 Scientists from the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester and Sun Yat-sen University have captured the growth of semiconducting tellurium nanostructures in liquid in real time, revealing how tiny seed particles form, grow into nanowires and compete for material as the structures develop. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-real-microscopy-reveals-semiconductor-nanowires.html Nanophysics Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:15 EDT news700900801 Neural interfaces are devices that can detect or modulate neuronal activity when placed in contact with the brain. They are already used to treat various conditions related to the nervous system. However, current technologies still have limitations that can reduce their effectiveness. One example is their unidirectional function. While most existing interfaces can stimulate the brain, they cannot accurately detect or decode brain activity simultaneously. Even when they can do so, they often face limitations in the detection of certain signals, particularly those at very low frequencies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-flexible-graphene-based-neural-interface.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:10:01 EDT news700844882 Life on Earth has evolved under an uninterrupted rhythm of day and night. While light provides the energy that powers countless molecular processes, periods of darkness often allow biological systems to reorganize, recover and transform that energy into functional outcomes. Inspired by this natural balance, an international team led by Javier Montenegro at the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS) of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela has demonstrated that the same principle can govern the behavior of simple synthetic molecular systems. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-darkness-nanotubes-responsive-molecular.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:10:01 EDT news700843622 A research team from Tohoku University and Kyocera Corp. has developed a new magneto-optical material—a nanocomposite magnetic garnet film—that can be deposited directly onto silicon substrates while delivering a magneto-optical figure of merit four times higher than conventional polycrystalline films. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-silicon-compatible-nanocomposite-garnet-enables.html Nanophysics Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news700829521 A new technology allows metal circuits floating on water to be transferred directly onto any desired surface. A South Korean research team has introduced a novel technique capable of transferring ultra-fine nanocircuits onto plant leaves and fruits, as well as curved automotive surfaces and robot exteriors, all without causing any damage. This technology could be widely used across industries, including smart agriculture, wearable health care and bioelectronics. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-based-nanoprinting-metal-delicate-3d.html Nanomaterials Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:40:06 EDT news700735801 As the global semiconductor industry enters the so-called 2-nanometer process era, the actual size of transistors—the core components of semiconductor chips—still remains above 10 nm. How much smaller, then, can transistors get? KAIST researchers have developed a technology to predict that limit through quantum mechanical, atom-level calculations. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-atomic-simulations-transistor-scaling-limits.html Nanophysics Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:05 EDT news700734001 One of the most fascinating aspects of physics is that nature often behaves in ways that seem completely counterintuitive. A good example comes from ultrathin materials. If I take a sheet of material and make it thinner and thinner, most people would expect it to become weaker. After all, there is less material left to bear a load. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-scaling-law-ultrathin-materials-stronger.html Nanophysics Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:00:01 EDT news700477932 Scaffolded DNA and RNA origami is a technique that allows scientists to build tiny, highly precise two- and three-dimensional objects. Because these nanostructures can interact naturally with biological systems, they could have important future uses in health care and agritech. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-tool-reliable-dna-nanostructures.html Nanomaterials Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:00:05 EDT news700146491 Engineers often treat impurities as a problem to eliminate to improve material performance. But new research from Osaka Metropolitan University and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM suggests that in some cases, a little chemical messiness is exactly what helps materials slide more smoothly. The findings were published in Advanced Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-chemical-impurities-carbon-surfaces-superslippery.html Nanomaterials Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:00:05 EDT news700148729 Over the past several decades, light sources have gradually transitioned to light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, and inorganic LEDs are now used across a wide range of applications. In parallel, organic LEDs, or OLEDs, have become widely used in display technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-molecule-ultranarrow-emission-spectrum.html Nanophysics Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:08 EDT news700398901