Sep 25, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Scientists are finding creative ways to leverage the phenomenon of water droplets bouncing off surfaces for functional applications like self-cleaning technology and energy harvesting. The key lies in engineering surfaces that can actively control droplet behavior. Recently, researchers in China developed a new method to...
Novel approach towards nanomaterials developed
Sep 25, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Scientists from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, both Germany, have successfully developed nanomaterials using a so-called bottom-up approach. As reported in the scientific journal ACS Nano ("Self-Assembly of Core–Shell Hybrid Nanoparticles by Directional Crystallization of Grafted Polymers"), they exploit...
Nanofluidic device generates power with saltwater
Sep 23, 2023 (Nanowerk News) There is a largely untapped energy source along the world’s coastlines: the difference in salinity between seawater and freshwater. A new nanodevice can harness this difference to generate power. A team of researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has reported a design for a...
All-optical generation of static electric field in a single metal-semiconductor nanoantenna
Sep 21, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers have developed a new technique to generate static electric fields in nanoscale devices using only light. This discovery, published in Light: Science & Applications ("All-optical generation of static electric field in a single metal-semiconductor nanoantenna"), could enable faster computing speeds and more versatile nanophotonic...
Researchers advance topological superconductors for quantum computing
Sep 21, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Quantum computers process information using quantum bits, or qubits, based on fragile, short-lived quantum mechanical states. To make qubits robust and tailor them for applications, researchers from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory sought to create a new material system. “We are pursuing a new route...
How the ‘cosmic rulebook’ of galaxy formation was rewritten
Sep 22, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A groundbreaking international study has unveiled remarkable insights into the early evolution of galaxies, shedding light on the fundamental processes that have shaped our universe. A research team from Denmark and Australia used the extraordinary capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope to delve back...
Webb finds carbon source on surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa
Sep 22, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Jupiter’s moon Europa is one of a handful of worlds in our solar system that could potentially harbor conditions suitable for life. Previous research has shown that beneath its water-ice crust lies a salty ocean of liquid water with a rocky seafloor. However, planetary scientists...
Researchers pioneer ultralight ceramic fibrous aerogels for advanced thermal insulation
Sep 22, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Future thermal insulation is lighter, more durable, and capable of withstanding extreme conditions. Researchers at Oxford University have employed a scalable technique to develop ultralight fibre materials, alumina/zirconia fibrous aerogels (AZFA), which could reliably insulate heat in high temperatures, high humidity, and corrosion environments, revolutionizing...
Graphene membranes improve fuel cell efficiency by blocking fuel crossover
Sep 22, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers have made significant progress in developing advanced fuel cell membranes that could enable greener technologies like direct methanol and direct formic acid fuel cells. These fuel cells can convert carbon dioxide into useful fuels using renewable electricity, potentially revolutionizing sustainable energy systems. However, a...
Perfecting perovskites – new gas-quench method yields more stable solar cells
Sep 22, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Scientists are interested in improving the stability of a class of crystalline materials that, if more stable, could be the basis for inexpensive solar cells. These materials, called mixed halide-perovskites, combine organic and inorganic materials. The crystals are made of a type of chemical compounds...