https://phys.org/nanotech-news/nano-materials/ en-us The latest science news on nanomaterials, nanotechnology, nanoparticles and nanoscience. Scientists have long explored the idea of using insects as our agents in the field in places where humans won't fit or survive. Imagine a cockroach in an earthquake zone, able to skitter into the rubble to map out exactly where human chemical signatures can be found, or a grasshopper leaping through a minefield to bring back a map of the bombs based on the vapors it encountered. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-locusts-sensory-nanomaterials-chemicals.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:40:07 EDT news711706419 It looks like a small, transparent patch with a rainbow on its surface—or for those old enough to remember, the back of a CD. The patch is the first of its kind in the world and, when combined with an ordinary smartphone camera, can measure two things: pulse and blood vessel stiffness. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-octopus-patch-skin-reveals-pulse.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:00:16 EDT news711705901 In a discovery that could offer a new way to control quantum properties in two-dimensional materials, researchers at Cornell have found that electrically sliding the layers of ultrathin graphene can switch the material between distinct magnetic states that persist even after the voltage is removed. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-electrical-graphene-magnetic-states.html Nanophysics Sat, 17 Oct 2026 08:00:06 EDT news711213693 Materials that change their shape upon exposure to light are attracting growing interest in applications such as soft robotics, microscale actuators and smart materials. However, the connection between molecular-level structural changes and larger-scale deformation remains incompletely understood. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-tiny-molecular-big-microparticle-deformation.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:20:06 EDT news711352990 A transistor normally requires several fundamentally different materials—a semiconductor to carry current, an insulating dielectric to control it and metallic contacts through which current enters and leaves. Integrating all of these components becomes increasingly difficult as semiconductor devices approach the atomic scale. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-2d-crystal-transistor-built-insulation.html Nanophysics Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:40:06 EDT news711293041 Silicon carbide (SiC) is a ceramic known for its excellent heat resistance and chemical stability, which makes it attractive for a wide range of applications like electronics, catalysts and energy-related materials. However, SiC generally requires high-temperature processing, and simultaneously forming and controlling porous structures at the nanometer scale remains challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-liquid-metal-dealloying-nanoporous-silicon.html Nanomaterials Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:20:07 EDT news711120061 A new study led by researchers at the University of Limerick (UL) has identified a new battery material from a renewable wood industry byproduct that could help reduce reliance on scarce and expensive materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-based-wood-industry-byproduct-carbon.html Nanomaterials Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:00:18 EDT news711036421 Gravity, the attraction between objects with mass, is the weakest of the four fundamental forces governing physical processes. Detecting the tiny gravitational pull of objects that are just a few millimeters in size and have a very small mass is extremely challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-sensor-gravitational-tiny.html Nanophysics Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:00:14 EDT news710677528 A novel nanovesicle-based platform developed at Institute of Science Tokyo can measure hydrostatic pressure by converting pressure-induced molecular changes into fluorescence signals. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-adjustable-nanosensors-pressure-fluorescent-stiffness.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:00:02 EDT news710771521 Finding a single cancer cell in a tube of blood is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. As researchers seek to detect ever-smaller and rarer targets, from viruses to circulating tumor cells in blood, the demand for ultrasensitive, robust sensors that are practical for real-world samples continues to grow. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-method-free-particle-sensor-surfaces.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:40:06 EDT news710766515 What happens at the nanoscale when information is written to memory? Researchers at KAIST have shown how tiny regions with a new polarization direction form while previously formed regions continue to expand in a promising ferroelectric material. By linking these nanoscale changes to electrical measurements, the team developed a model that captures both processes, offering a basis for designing faster and more stable memory. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-written-ferroelectric-memory-nanoscale.html Nanophysics Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:40:10 EDT news710679781 Researchers at South China University of Technology, in collaboration with the Dongguan Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have developed a novel supranano multi-precipitate microstructure in amorphous soft magnetic composites using Ar/O₂ plasma treatment. By facilitating magnetic-moment reversal, this approach significantly reduced coercivity while maintaining excellent overall performance. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-tiny-plasma-grown-particles-enable.html Nanophysics Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:50:06 EDT news710608682 A research team led by Professor Jiwoong Yang of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST has developed the world's first foundational technology for an ultrahigh-resolution stretchable quantum dot display (QLED) that can stretch freely like skin while maintaining sharp image quality. The findings were published in Nature Nanotechnology. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-display-technology-combines-brightness-pixels.html Nanophysics Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:30:02 EDT news710605801 A study from the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), one of the centers under the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), presents a new method to reveal hidden material disorder reflected in complex photoluminescence spectra, paving the way for new optical diagnostics of material disorder in two-dimensional semiconductors and related light-emitting materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-peaks-optical-analysis-decodes-spectral.html Nanophysics Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:40:10 EDT news710505781 A joint research team led by professors Seunghyun Baik and Joonmyung Choi from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) has developed a new nanocomposite material whose electrical and thermal conductivities increase as it is stretched. The team successfully applied it to stable heat dissipation for foldable phones. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-boosts-thermal-electrical-nanocomposite.html Nanophysics Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:40:02 EDT news710503982 Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are fluorescent carbon nanomaterials with potential applications in sensing, optoelectronics, displays, anticounterfeiting and environmental technologies. Their optical properties can be adjusted by modifying the carbon structure and surface chemistry, particularly through defect states and the incorporation of heteroatoms. However, achieving predictable and continuous tuning of photoluminescence from a single carbon precursor remains difficult. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-plastic-yields-carbon-quantum-dots.html Nanophysics Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:20:12 EDT news710412122 Scientists have developed a new way to make ceramic materials that can better withstand extreme heat and continue performing reliably in sensors and actuators. The approach creates tiny structures throughout the material that give it new electrical and mechanical properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-nanoscale-electromechanical-properties-ceramics.html Nanophysics Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:20:07 EDT news710412482 Contrast agents are compounds routinely used in clinical analysis to enhance differentiation between tissues or to increase the visibility of structures or fluids within the body, thus facilitating medical diagnosis. A study led by researcher Lucia Cardo and Ikerbasque research professor and AXA chair Maurizio Prato (both at CIC biomaGUNE) confirms that manganese-doped carbon nanodots could be the next generation of contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-manganese-doped-carbon-nanodots-rival.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:40:11 EDT news710411041 The circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE), a phenomenon that generates helicity-dependent photocurrents in noncentrosymmetric materials, can originate purely from a crystal's internal structure without a contribution from the surface, a study from Science Tokyo reveals. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-mirror-image-crystals-reverse-driven.html Nanophysics Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:40:12 EDT news710157781 Research led by a group from the University of Newcastle has found a new way to make silicone surfaces—and control how slippery they are. The work was published in the journal Chemistry of Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-smart-silicone-coatings-friction-stickiness.html Nanomaterials Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:40:13 EDT news710156282 In a new Physical Review Letters study, researchers have demonstrated that bending diamond nanostructures can tune the light they emit without doping. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-nanoribbons-tunes-diamond-emission-doping.html Nanophysics Wed, 30 Sep 2026 15:20:06 EDT news709983577 Researchers at Sultan Qaboos University have developed engineered surfaces that combine microscopic patterns with zinc oxide nanorods to reduce the attachment of bacteria and microalgae—a process that contributes to biofouling on submerged marine and industrial equipment. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-nanostructured-surfaces-limit-marine-biofouling.html Nanomaterials Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:00:01 EDT news709951563 Nanoparticles could someday provide a new way to help soldiers fight back against deadly nerve agents on the front lines. In a new study, Northwestern University scientists developed a nanoparticle-based compound that, when mixed into clothing dyes, could limit the impact of chemicals commonly found in pesticides, insecticides and nerve agents. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-wearable-nanotech-combat-nerve-agents.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:40:02 EDT news709889641 The research group at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Pontedera (Pisa), led by Gianni Ciofani, has developed new organic nanoparticles that combine multiple therapeutic functions in a single material for the first time. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-dopamine-based-nanotubes-combine-electrical.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:40:08 EDT news709831081 Controlling dopant concentration near the silicon surface is increasingly important for ultrashallow junctions and nanoscale devices. Mixed monolayer doping (MMLD) offers a surface-chemistry-based approach in which dopant-containing molecules are mixed with nondopant molecules to tune the amount of dopant available at the silicon surface before thermal diffusion. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-plasma-treatment-reveal-molecular-coatings.html Nanomaterials Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:20:04 EDT news709831682 Lithium, magnesium, potassium and many other ions usually occur together in natural and industrial solutions. Separating them from one another is a challenge, for example, in the extraction and processing of raw materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-electricity-ion-membranes.html Nanophysics Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:20:22 EDT news709812541 Electrolysis can reduce CO2 to CO, a raw material for chemical products such as fuels. Within the GreenQUEST project, an international team led by HZB chemist Prashanth Menezes has systematically investigated catalyst layers made of silver nanoparticles, varying both particle size and density. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-sparse-layers-nanometer-silver-particles.html Nanomaterials Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:00:01 EDT news709473348 Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have teamed up with pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company to uncover how storage conditions affect mRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines and other treatments, and how to make them more effective. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-threatens-mrna-delivery-tris-buffer.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:40:05 EDT news709550701 Honeycomb-shaped structures are familiar from beehives. Researchers have now designed molecules that self-assemble into a similar pattern on a scale far too small to see with the naked eye. These molecules are peptides: short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Each peptide consists of only nine amino acids. Many identical copies assemble into tiny fibers with a honeycomb-like interior filled with water. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-short-peptides-honeycomb-fibers-tiny.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 24 Sep 2026 14:20:17 EDT news709474573 An international collaboration led by the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Germany, has developed a labeling method that distinguishes fluorescent labels not by color but by how long it takes a dye to emit fluorescence. This makes it possible to visualize eight different proteins in a cell simultaneously in a single step using standard microscopes. The results have been published in the journal ACS Nano. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fluorescence-proteins-cell.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:00:10 EDT news709393321