Topics: Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Research A polymer-based gel made by researchers in the US and inspired by the Venus flytrap plant can snap, jump and “reset” itself autonomously. The new self-propelled material might have applications in micron-sized robots and other devices that operate without batteries or motors. “Many plants and animals, especially smallContinue reading “Snapping Polymer Discs…”
Category Archives: Materials Science
Einsteinium Chemistry…
Topics: Chemistry, Einstein, Materials Science, Research To date, researchers have created more than two dozen synthetic chemical elements that don’t exist naturally on Earth. Neptunium (atomic number Z = 93) and plutonium (Z = 94), the first two artificial elements after naturally occurring uranium, are produced in nuclear reactors by the thousands of kilograms. But the accessibility ofContinue reading “Einsteinium Chemistry…”
Nanoscale Knudsen Flow…
Topics: Fluid Mechanics, Materials Science, Nanofluidics, Nanotechnology Gases flow through a porous membrane at ultrahigh speeds even when the pores’ diameter approaches the atomic scale. This finding by researchers at the University of Manchester in the UK and the University of Pennsylvania in the US shows that the century-old Knudsen description of gas flow remainsContinue reading “Nanoscale Knudsen Flow…”
3D Hydrogel Polymers…
Topics: Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science AbstractHydrogel-polymer hybrids have been widely used for various applications such as biomedical devices and flexible electronics. However, the current technologies constrain the geometries of hydrogel-polymer hybrid to laminates consisting of hydrogel with silicone rubbers. This greatly limits functionality and performance of hydrogel-polymer–based devices and machines. Here, we report aContinue reading “3D Hydrogel Polymers…”
2020 Nano Highlights….
Topics: Biology, Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Research Snake vision inspires pyroelectric material design Bioinspiration and biomimicry involve studying how living organisms do something and using that insight to develop new technologies. Pit vipers have two special organs on their heads called loreal pits that allow them to “see” the infrared radiation given off by their warm-bloodedContinue reading “2020 Nano Highlights….”
Diamond Nanoneedles…
Topics: Materials Science, Modern Physics, Nanotechnology, Semiconductor Technology If you ever manage to deform a diamond, you’re likely to break it. That’s because the hardest natural material on Earth is also inelastic and brittle. Two years ago, Ming Dao (MIT), Subra Suresh (Nanyang Technological University in Singapore), and their collaborators demonstrated that when bulk diamonds are etched into fine,Continue reading “Diamond Nanoneedles…”
Graphene Currents…
Topics: Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Quantum Mechanics, Semiconductor Technology A team led by researchers from Harvard University and the University of Maryland in the US has used defects in diamond to map the magnetic field generated by electrical currents in graphene. Their experiments reveal that currents in this atomically-thin form of carbon flow like a viscousContinue reading “Graphene Currents…”
APS…
Topics: COVID-19, Materials Science, Optics, Photonics, Research From chemistry to materials science to COVID-19 research, the APS is one of the most productive X-ray light sources in the world. An upgrade will make it a global leader among the next generation of light sources, opening new frontiers in science. In the almost 25 years since the Advanced Photon Source (APS), aContinue reading “APS…”
Physics and Nano 