Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Scientists have revealed how lattice vibrations and spins talk to each other in a hybrid excitation known as an electromagnon. To achieve this, they used a unique combination of experiments at the X-ray free electron laser SwissFEL. Understanding this fundamental process at the atomic level...
Researchers develop first-of-its-kind woven material made entirely from flexible organic crystals
Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Applying simple, ancient weaving techniques to newly recognized properties of organic crystals, researchers with the Smart Materials Lab (SML) and the Center for Smart Engineering Materials (CSEM) at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have, for the first time, developed a unique form of woven “textile.” These...
Researchers engineer a material that can perform different tasks depending on temperature
Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers report that they have developed a new composite material designed to change behaviors depending on temperature in order to perform specific tasks. These materials are poised to be part of the next generation of autonomous robotics that will interact with the environment. The new...
A new way to see the activity inside a living cell
Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Living cells are bombarded with many kinds of incoming molecular signal that influence their behavior. Being able to measure those signals and how cells respond to them through downstream molecular signaling networks could help scientists learn much more about how cells work, including what happens...
Nanodiamonds block tumor metastasis in mice
Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Finding ways to contain cancer growth and prevent its spread from original sites to other body areas has posed an enduring challenge for medical researchers. Metastasis enables cancers to become more aggressive and is linked to over 90% of cancer deaths. Therapies capable of disrupting...
Revolutionizing nanosurface engineering with novel ultrafast laser technique
Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) The ability to controllably structure surfaces at the micro- and nanoscale has remained a profoundly impactful yet challenging goal spanning industrial sectors. Precisely controlling surface topographies at these tiny dimensions unlocks transformative functionalities vital for next-generation technologies. Structured surface coatings and metamaterials with tailored nanotextures...
Silica films mean better catalysts in confined two-dimensional spaces
Nov 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers are making catalysts more efficient by designing materials that contain tiny amounts of catalysts in microscopic cavities. These nanoscale materials have spaces smaller than a single virus. Now, scientists have shown that porous silica films less than one nanometer thick boost the catalytic activity...
New method uses crowdsourced feedback to help train robots
Nov 27, 2023 (Nanowerk News) To teach an AI agent a new task, like how to open a kitchen cabinet, researchers often use reinforcement learning — a trial-and-error process where the agent is rewarded for taking actions that get it closer to the goal. In many instances, a human expert...
Carbon nanotubes and the sustainability puzzle
Nov 27, 2023 (Nanowerk News) An international team of researchers receives over $4M to advance understanding of carbon nanotube synthesis and its potential for producing industrial materials more sustainably. The foundation’s $1.9M Kavli Exploration Award in Nanoscience for Sustainability sparked an additional $2.2M from Carbon Hub to pursue this important...
Oral delivery a possibility for silica-based C’Dots
Nov 27, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Take a pill, or get a shot? Given the choice, most people would likely go for the former. Key Takeaways Cornell researchers have found a way to potentially administer C'Dots – ultrasmall fluorescent core-shell hybrid silica nanoparticles – orally, which was previously thought possible only...