Sep 18, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Developed in 2011, MXene is a two-dimensional nanomaterial with alternating metal and carbon layers, which has high electrical conductivity and can be combined with various metal compounds, making it a material that can be utilized in various industries such as semiconductors, electronic devices, and sensors....
Observing the coherent motion of electrons with an attosecond stopwatch
Sep 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A remarkable consequence of quantum mechanics is that electrons can display interference effects. This interference is similar to waves interacting in the ocean or the electromagnetic waves that carry radio signals. Scientists were able to observe the quantum mechanical motion of electrons in an excited...
Nanoscale X-ray movies reveal unprecedented physical and chemical details of how a lithium-ion battery works
Sep 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Billions of tiny particles packed into rechargeable lithium-ion battery electrodes are responsible for storing charge and making it available when it’s needed to do work. X-ray movies of this process show the particles absorbing and releasing lithium ions as the battery charges and discharges. Now,...
Scientists uncover mystery of important material for semiconductors at the surface
Sep 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A team of scientists with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has investigated the behavior of hafnium oxide, or hafnia, because of its potential for use in novel semiconductor applications. Materials such as hafnia exhibit ferroelectricity, which means that they are capable of extended data storage...
Making AI smarter with an artificial, multisensory integrated neuron
Sep 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The feel of a cat’s fur can reveal some information, but seeing the feline provides critical details: is it a housecat or a lion? While the sound of fire crackling may be ambiguous, its scent confirms the burning wood. Our senses synergize to give a...
Battery-free robots use origami to change shape in mid-air (w/video)
Sep 14, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers at the University of Washington have developed small robotic devices that can change how they move through the air by “snapping” into a folded position during their descent. When these “microfliers” are dropped from a drone, they use a Miura-ori origami fold to switch...
Titanic galaxy cluster collision in the early Universe challenges standard cosmology
Sep 14, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A collision of two massive clusters of galaxies when the Universe was half its current age should not have happened according to the standard theory of cosmology, says a new study by an international group of astronomers. According to the Lambda-cold dark matter (ΛCDM) standard...
AI-driven tool makes it easy to personalize 3D-printable models (w/video)
Sep 15, 2023 (Nanowerk News) As 3D printers have become cheaper and more widely accessible, a rapidly growing community of novice makers are fabricating their own objects. To do this, many of these amateur artisans access free, open-source repositories of user-generated 3D models that they download and fabricate on their...
Scientists invent a bright way to upcycle plastics into liquids that can store hydrogen energy
Sep 15, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have created a process that can upcycle most plastics into chemical ingredients useful for energy storage, using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a commercially available catalyst, all at room temperature. The new process is very energy-efficient and can...
Revolutionizing brain monitoring and stimulation with thin-film neural electrodes
Sep 15, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Flexible thin-film electrodes placed directly on brain tissue show promise for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, as demonstrated recently by scientists at Tokyo Tech. Thanks to an innovative yet straightforward design, these durable electrodes accurately match the mechanical properties of brain tissue, leading to...