Room-temperature method transforms liquid crystal ‘fabric’ into soft robotic actuators

May 17, 2024 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Soft robotics has emerged as a promising field, with the potential to revolutionize areas such as prosthetics, wearable devices, and human-machine interaction. Unlike traditional rigid robots, soft robots are made from highly compliant materials that can safely interact with delicate objects and adapt to complex...

a play of colors with artificial DNA crystals

May 17, 2024 (Nanowerk News) The shimmering of butterfly wings in bright colors does not emerge from pigments. Rather, it is photonic crystals that are responsible for the play of colors. Their periodic nanostructure allows light at certain wavelengths to pass through while reflecting other wavelengths. This causes the wing...

Artificial intelligence calculates phase diagrams

May 16, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a new method for calculating phase diagrams of physical systems that works similarly to ChatGPT. This artificial intelligence could even automate scientific experiments in the future. A year and a half ago, ChatGPT was released, and ever...

Magnetism in a common material for microelectronics

May 16, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Nickel monosilicide (NiSi) is widely used to connect transistors in semiconductor circuits. Theoretical calculations incorrectly predicted that NiSi was not magnetic. As a result, researchers never fully explored magnetism in NiSi. Recently, scientists used neutron scattering to identify an elusive form of magnetic order in...

Breakthrough technique rapidly identifies topological 2D materials

May 16, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Topological quantum materials are hailed as a cornerstone of future technological advancements. Yet, validating their exceptional qualities has always been a lengthy business. However, researchers at the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat have now developed an experimental technique that systematically identifies two-dimensional topological materials through a...