Hidden distortions trigger promising thermoelectric property
In a world of materials that normally expand upon heating, one that shrinks along one 3D axis while expanding along another stands out. That’s especially true when the unusual shrinkage is linked to a property important for thermoelectric devices, which convert heat to electricity or electricity to heat. In a paper just published in the […]
Novel theory of entropy may solve materials design issues
A challenge in materials design is that in both natural and humanmade materials, volume sometimes decreases, or increases, with increasing temperature. While there are mechanical explanations for this phenomenon for some specific materials, a general understanding of why this sometimes happens remains lacking. However, a team of Penn State researchers has come up with a […]
New material offers remarkable combo of toughness and stretchiness
Researchers have created new materials that are very stretchable and extremely tough. “Materials that can be deformed, but that are difficult to break or tear, are desirable,” says Michael Dickey, co-corresponding author of a paper on the work and the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University. […]
Self-healing materials for robotics made from ‘jelly’ and salt
Researchers have developed self-healing, biodegradable, 3D-printed materials that could be used in the development of realistic artificial hands and other soft robotics applications. The low-cost jelly-like materials, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, can sense strain, temperature and humidity. And unlike earlier self-healing robots, they can also partially repair themselves at room temperature. […]
Molecular paddlewheels propel sodium ions through next-generation batteries: Insights into the atomistic dynamics of emerging solid-state batteries will help speed their evolution
Materials scientists at Duke University have revealed paddlewheel-like molecular dynamics that help push sodium ions through a quickly evolving class of solid-state batteries. The insights should guide researchers in their pursuit of a new generation of sodium-ion batteries to replace lithium-ion technology in a wide range of applications such as data centers and home energy […]
Development of a high-energy-resolution, LaB6 nanowire-based field emission gun: Electron source enables atomic resolution TEM observation
The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and JEOL, Ltd. have developed a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) nanowire-based field emission gun that is installable on an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (TEM). This combined unit is able to perform atomic resolution observation at an energy resolution of 0.2 eV — the highest resolution ever recorded for non-monochromatic […]
After 20 years of trying, scientists succeed in doping a 1D chain of cuprates
When scientists study unconventional superconductors — complex materials that conduct electricity with zero loss at relatively high temperatures — they often rely on simplified models to get an understanding of what’s going on. Researchers know these quantum materials get their abilities from electrons that join forces to form a sort of electron soup. But modeling […]
Actuator discovery outperforms existing technology: Researchers use organic semiconductor nanotubes to create new electrochemical actuator
University of Houston researchers are reporting a breakthrough in the field of materials science and engineering with the development of an electrochemical actuator that uses specialized organic semiconductor nanotubes (OSNTs). Currently in the early stages of development, the actuator will become a key part of research contributing to the future of robotic, bioelectronic and biomedical […]