Dec 25, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Single-use plastics are a major environmental concern, but now, rather than being disposed of as garbage, used plastic bags from the grocery store could be utilized to carry out a reaction that can detoxify hazardous chemicals. A team led by researchers at the Institute for...
Novel all-silicon metamaterials enhances control of terahertz polarization
Dec 25, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers are working to unlock the immense potential of terahertz waves for applications ranging from medical imaging to wireless communications. However, efficiently controlling the polarization state of these high-frequency electromagnetic waves has remained an enduring challenge. Conventional approaches relying on natural birefringent crystals or dielectric...
New material allows for better hydrogen-based batteries and fuel cells
Dec 25, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers led by Genki Kobayashi at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research in Japan have developed a solid electrolyte for transporting hydride ions (H−) at room temperature. This breakthrough means that the advantages of hydrogen-based solid-state batteries and fuel cells are within practical reach, including...
AI system autonomously designs stable novel 2D compounds
Dec 25, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Two-dimensional (2D) materials like graphene have attracted great interest across science and industry for their remarkable electronic, optical, and mechanical properties. Yet despite intense study, fewer than 100 distinct 2D materials have been successfully synthesized in labs. This severely limits their practical use in transistors,...