Scientists uncover spin-catalytic activity correlation in single-atom and -electron tailored gold nanoclusters

Apr 09, 2025 Researchers precisely removed a gold nanoparticle's core atom and outermost electron to study how magnetic spin affects its catalytic activity. (Nanowerk News) A team of researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has consecutively removed the innermost atom and...

An efficient self-assembly process for advanced self-healing materials

Apr 01, 2025 The novel method produces multilayered self-healing films with enhanced durability compared to conventional materials for coatings and flexible electronics. (Nanowerk News) Polysiloxane materials, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based elastomers, exhibit a self-healing capability by the introduction of silanolate (Si–O–) groups. This ability stems from their dynamic siloxane (Si–O–Si)...

Doubling down on metasurfaces

Apr 01, 2025 Researcher have created a bilayer metasurface made of two stacked layers of titanium dioxide nanostructures, opening new possibilities for structuring light. (Nanowerk News) Almost a decade ago, Harvard engineers unveiled the world’s first visible-spectrum metasurfaces – ultra-thin, flat devices patterned with nanoscale structures that could precisely control...

New tool reveals the true threat of nanoplastics

Apr 01, 2025 An international team of scientists is developing an ultra precise, efficient and flexible technique for counting and analyzing nano-scale scourge. (Nanowerk News) While the threat that microplastics pose to human and ecological health has been richly documented and is well known, nanoplastics, which are smaller than one...

Nanoscientists pioneer method to tackle forever chemicals

Mar 31, 2025 New process upcycles hazardous chemicals to graphene. (Nanowerk News) Rice University researchers have developed an innovative solution to a pressing environmental challenge: removing and destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called “forever chemicals.” A study led by James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of...

New spray-coating method builds efficient self-powered photodetectors

Mar 31, 2025 A new photodetector design combines metal-organic frameworks and MXene materials to overcome silicon's performance limits, enabling broad-spectrum light detection without external power. (Nanowerk Spotlight) The efficient conversion of light into electrical signals is essential for many modern optoelectronic technologies, such as smartphone cameras, optical fiber communication, and...