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  A new study was published in Nanomaterials on October 17. Scientists at Yokohama National University have created a bubble printing technique. It allows for high precision patterning of liquid metal wiring in flexible electronics. The methodology offers new pathways for the creation of highly conductive circuits, that are both bendable and stretchable. These devices are ideal for wearable sensors and medical implants. Mainstream wiring is made of physical wiring and circuit boards. It powers most electronics, from phones to computers. There is a demand for wearable electronic devices, and it's proving that traditional wiring has inadequacies. Shoji Maruo is a professor at the Faculty of Engineering of Yokohama National University and is corresponding author of the study. He reports, "Conventional wiring technologies rely on rigid conductive materials, which are unsuitable for flexible electronics that need to bend and stretch." There are alternatives to such rigid mater...

 A new study was published in Science Advances. Researchers set up an experiment at the Technion Faculty of Physics. It demonstrates atom transfer from one place to another. They do this via quantum tunneling between optical tweezers. This experiment was led by Professor Yoav Sagi and Yanay Florshaim from the Solid State Institute. Optical tweezers are an experimental tool for capturing atoms, living cells or even molecules. They are moved by using an optical potential created by a laser beam focused on a tiny micron sized spot. How? The force generated with the interaction of light is proportional to the intensity of light. The force is strong enough to hold atoms in place or move them to another location.  Optical tweezers were invented by the physicist Arthur Ashkin.  He won the Nobel prize in 2018 and the tweezers have become an important tool in physics. The scientists at Technion Used three optical tweezers. They changed the distances and dramatically controlled the...

  New research was published about gravity in the journal Physical Review Letters. A team from around the world is testing whether gravity behaves as a quantum entity when measured. Scientists hope the results will lead to the creation of a grand unified theory of physics.  Physicists have learned a lot about the universe and its make up over the past century. One of  the biggest theories is Einstein's theory of classical relativity. It describes the visual or classical world. Quantum theory is the second biggest theory, describing the quantum world. Gravity is the one thing physicists do not fully understand. It is uncertain if it fits into general relativity or quantum physics. Understanding what gravity truly is would tie the two fields together. This is one of the biggest goals in the physics community.  The team have designed a tabletop experiment. It could be used to show whether gravity is changed when measured. This would be clear evidence that gravity is a q...

  A new study was recently published in Advanced Materials Interfaces. Scientists at Griffith University Have made consequential movement towards understanding liquid interactions. This breakthrough will impact self cleaning materials and even medical devices. Griffiths Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Center Are studying re-entrant Microstructures. These are tiny structures on the surface of particles that can repel water and other liquids. The paper was editor’s choice and is set to run on the journal cover. It discusses how shape, material, and spacing of these microstructures affect their ability to resist wetting or spreading liquid. Dr. Navi’s Kashaninejad is the study’s lead researcher. He reports, “ Our research dives deep into why some surfaces are better at repelling water than others. This understanding allows us to design surfaces that can either repel or attract liquids, which is important for applications like self cleaning materials or surfaces that avoid fouling....

  Organic chemistry scientists have discovered a big problem and it's almost 100 years old.  Carbon molecules are characteristics by having very specific shapes and arrangements of atoms. The double bonds between molecules are called alkenes or olefins. The atoms and all those attached to them are usually in the same plane. Molecules that are not on the same plane are uncommon. The rule that scientists claim doesn't fit anymore is called Bredt's rule. It was originally reported in 1924.  The overall description is understood as molecules cannot have a carbon-carbon bond at the ring junction of a bridged bicyclic molecule. This is referred to as a "bridgehead" position. The double bond of these structures would have distorted shapes that are different from the rigid shapes of alkenes.  Bredt's rule has limited the usefulness of this kind of synthetic molecule in pharmaceutical research. However, a paper in the journal Science by UCLA  scientists is changing tha...

  New research was published in the journal Science. Physicists at ETH Zurich have built the first working mechanical qubit. In the paper, the team described their new ideas for the creation and testing of the qubit. Quantum computers are thought to be able to solve problems beyond classical computers. One significant challenge is virtual qubits. These can be made by using electromagnetics. The electromagnetics create errors that must be corrected. Researchers have been using mechanical qubits as a way around the problem. Qubits are able to store data in a super position of both ones and zeros.  In the study, researchers built something similar to a drum head. It can hold information as a steady state, a vibrating state or a state that's both at once. They used the head as a mechanical resonator. They attached a qubit made of superconducting material. The qubit is fixed to its own sapphire base. The results depend on the superconductor used, however, they are on average better...

  2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is called white graphene. It is an important two dimensional material, with exceptional properties as compared to other two dimensional materials. hBN is a multi-layered material whose structure is kindred to graphene. Inside each layer, it is composed of alternating boron and nitrogen atoms. These atoms are arranged in a sp(2) bonded network. The known bond length between boron and nitrogen is 1.44  A°. The known bond length between carbon atoms in graphene  is 1.42 A °.  Inside each layer, the boron and nitrogen atoms are held together with strong covalent bonds. However, the layers themselves are held together by a somewhat weak Van Der Waals force.  Graphene is a semiconductor with a zero-band gap. hBN is an insulator with a large gap band of 5.97 eV. This indicates its potential as a high quality dielectric material. The mismatch of hBN and graphene is only 1.7%. For some reason (yet unknown) hBN opens the bandgap in graph...

  Atmospheric aerosol particles are an important part of earth's water cycle. Scientists are studying aerosol particles in the Amazon rainforest. This new study reveals that rain creates bursts of newly formed nanoparticles in the air above the rainforest canopy. The research was published in the journal Nature Geoscience.  Heavy rainfall occurs during the wet season in the Amazon. For development of clouds and precipitation, tiny particles called condensation nuclei are necessary for water vapor to form cloud droplets. A team from around the world is studying this nuclei. The team is from Germany, Brazil, Sweden and China. There is an observatory in the middle of the Amazon rainforest in North Brazil. It is equipped with sophisticated instruments and 325m towers. It is called the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO). Researchers discovered that concentrations of nanoparticles are highest just above the canopy. Christopher Pohlker is co-author and research group leader at the ...

Quantum information technology is being advanced. This equates to faster and more efficient data transfer. Qubits have made progress challenging. Qubits are units of quantum information. They can be transferred between different wavelengths without losing their properties (like coherence and entanglement). Researchers have developed a new technique for broadband frequency conversion. It was recently reported in Advanced Physics. Scientists from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) are working on this crucial step for future quantum networks.   The team used an X-cut film of lithium niobate (TFLN). This material is known for its nonlinear optical properties.  They proved an important process for converting light from one wavelength to another. This process is called second-harmonic generation. The team's bandwidth was a remarkable 13 nanometers. Scientists used a technique called mode hybridization. This allows for precise control over the frequency conversion. Professor Yuping...

 FIRE! The oldest known way to turn raw materials into useable goods. Today, scientists use a sophisticated version of the well known technique. Flame aerosol synthesis is being used to create nanoparticles. This process is very effective, but comes with significant challenges. First is flame manipulation, but also getting precise control over the distribution and size of nanoparticles. Lastly, of course,  is cost.  The University of Buffalo is working on these issues. They have created a flame aerosol system that is versatile, easy to use and cheap. The study was published on October 30, in Nature Communications. It describes how scientists used the methodology to create metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These are porous nanomaterials that are used in many fields, including the environment, health and medicine.  The study's lead author is named Mark Swihart, Ph.D. He is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering ...

 The world's first wooden satellite was launched on November 5th 2024. It blasted off on a Space X rocket, and was developed by scientists in Japan. It is part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station. Researchers at Kyoto University assume the wood will burn up when the device re-enters the atmosphere. This could be a way to avoid creating metal particles when an old satellite returns to Earth. The metal particles impact both telecommunications and the environment. Each side of the wooden box measures 4". The satellite is named LignoSat. The device was installed into a special container which was created by the Japan Aerospace Exploration. It is reported that the box, "flew in to space safely." LignoSat's co-developer reports on X,  (it) "will arrive at the ISS soon, and will be released to outer space about a month later." to test its durability and strength. Takao Do is an astronaut and special professor at Kyoto University. He report...

  Microplastics measure smaller than 5 millimeters. They are littered around the world, in the food chain and in the water. Dr. Manish Shetty is working on breaking down plastics before they can get into the environment. A component of this research is to figure out how to make green hydrogen available for waste management systems that use catalysts. Shetty's research uses solvents. In low amounts, the solvents act as hydrogen sources to break down plastics called condensation polymers. These condensation polymers include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, textiles, packaging and even 3D printing. Shetty's paper was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. It shows that Shetty and his team were able to design catalysts that can harness stored hydrogen after the breakdown of these condensation polymers.The catalyst surfaces use hydrogen leaving organic carriers to transform the PET to p-xylene. This molecule can be used for fuels or chemicals. Shetty explains...

 Advancing technology depends on creating devices that are energy efficient and more compact. Researchers are developing ways to work with nanoscale form energy-storing capacitors. Scientists from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden report that they've made progress using a unique 3D printing method. The Swedish scientists showed a 3D printing method for fabricating glass micro supercapacitors (MSCs).This method reduces the time and complexity used to form the precise nanoscale features MSCs need.  The study was recently published in ACS Nano. Frank Niklaus is a professor of micro and nanosystems at KTH. He reports, "The advance could potentially lead to more compact and energy efficient portable devices, including self-sustaining sensors, wearable devices and other Internet of Things applications."  The technique points out two important factors to creating the devices. A micro supercapacitor's capabilities are determined by electrodes. Electrodes both st...

A large international team is studying white graphene. The team involves scholars from NYU Tandon School of Engineering and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). They have discovered a new method to characterize and identify defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). This two dimensional material is called white graphene for its amazing properties. The team replaced singular carbon atoms with boron atoms in hBN crystals. They listened to electronic "noise" in transistors and made this discovery. The research is the cover story for October 22, 2024 edition of ACS Nano.  Davood Shahrjerdi and Yong-Hoon Kim are the paper's corresponding authors. Shahrjerdi reports, "In this project, we essentially created a stethoscope for 2D materials. By analyzing the tiny and rhythmic fluctuations in electrical current, we can 'perceive' the behavior of single atomic defects."  The NYU and KAIST collaboration launched in September 2022 by the Preside...

  Researchers at the University of Connecticut and NIMS are printing periodic nanostructures on glass. The team is capable of forming the structure on the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and transferring it to glass. The team can create materials with useful functions like water repelling without complex processes. Further, the technique may be used in the future to create anti fogging or generate structural colors on surfaces (often used in gas sensors). This research was published in Advanced Science. Periodic nano/microstructures are a focus of research in materials science. This is due to their diverse functions. Creating them requires large, expensive equipment and is a complex process. Also, creating periodic nano/microstructures over large surfaces areas is very challenging. Scientists developed a method for printing a periodic micro/nanostructure. They used a glass substrate surface using a PDMS slab. The slab contains liquid PDMS, which functions as an ink. The slab...

  New research about defibrillation devices was released this month in a journal called Chaos. The team consisted of scientists from Sergio Arboleda University in Bogata and The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.   The group used an electrophysiological computer model of the human heart. The heart's electrical circuits were examined to understand the effect of the applied voltage field. The scientists determined that far less energy is needed than is currently used in contemporary fibrillation-defibrillation practices. The paper was written by Roman Grigoriev. He explains, "The results were not at all what we expected. We learned the mechanism for ultra-low-energy defibrillation is not related to whether the waves manage to propagate across regions of the tissue which have not had the time to fully recover from a previous excitation. Our focus was on finding the optimal variation in time of the applied electric field over an extended time interval. Since the length of...

 Alkens are used in plastics, rubber and fine chemicals. They are an important part of industry and chemistry. Transforming starting materials into alkenes continues to be a challenge. This is because olefin synthesis are limited to using aldehydes/ketones or alkenes as the starters. Chemists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) are working on a way to convert alcohols, carboxylic acids, and alkanes into precious alkenes. Three scientists were directly involved in the study, Associate Professor Wu Jie and his team from NUS with Professor Zhao You and Professor Ma Junan from China's Tianjin University.  The team used two known chemical reactions, Norrish type II reaction and photocatalytic radical addition. Light was involved in a seamless process. The team used a vinyl ketone to help create alkens. It is referred to as an olefination reagent. They controlled side reactions of the vinyl keystone, and enhance the reaction. The team published in Nature Chemistry. It is...

  New findings were published in the journal Communications Materials. MBT is a newly discovered material. It has unique magnetic and topological properties. Researchers at the University of Twente have made MBT behave like a superconductor. This material will be used in information processing and quantum computing in the future.  MBT's topological properties cause electrons to only move along the edges of a material. Using electron theory, they should only move in a clockwise direction. The experiments at Twente show that electrons can move both clockwise and counterclockwise.  Thies Jansen is a researcher on the project. He reports, " It may not seem like a significant difference, but the one-way electron flow is essential for creating new electronic states that enable novel ways of processing information." When the researchers succeeded in making MBT act as a superconductor, it allowed them to study it's properties while under a magnetic field. Jansen summarizes, ...

  New findings that will solve the heat generation issue in electronic devices was introduced on September 26 in the online edition of Matter. A team of researchers are enhancing spin wave technology in new ways and a new solution to the heat generation problem has emerged.  Spin waves are waves that transmit information. This is done without the flow of electrons by using the spin features of electrons in magnetic insulators. New research shows that the temperature imbalance of spin waves increases the information carrying efficiency of spin waves. An example of this is the tendency of spin waves on one side of the material to become hot and one side colder.  A team assembled from POSTECH Chungham National University and KAIST. The researchers were inspired by radiator fins to cool a car engine. They made a nanometer-scale gold structure. One end is made of a magnetic structure and One end is made of a magnetic insulator, designed to regulate temperature based on the gol...

Making molecules stick to the surface of tiny nanocrystals could lead to more efficient solar panels and better diagnostics.  The lead author of this research is Associate Professor Guohua Jia. He is from the Curtin's School of Molecular and Life Sciences. The study researched how the shape of zinc sulfide nanocrystal allowed ligands to stick to the surface. His study is titled, "Deciphering surface ligand density of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal: Shape Matters."  It is published in the journal of the American Chemical Society. Associate Professor Jia reports, "Ligands plays an important role in controlling the behavior and performance of zinc sulfide nanocrystal in various important technologies. In a discovery that could open new possibilities for developing smarter, more advanced devices, our study found flatter, more even particles called nanoplatelets allow ligands to attach tightly, compared to other shapes like nanodots or nanorods.  By adjusting the sha...

 A new study was published in the journal Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications. Scientists from Bar-llan University and Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center are studying brain delays. Biological components are less reliable than electrical ones. Rather than instantly receiving incoming signals, the signals arrive with an arrangement of delays. This forces the brain to use each neuron to integrate the incoming signals overtime and fire backwards. It also forces the brain to use a population of neurons, instead of just one to overstep neuronal cells that won't fire. But could brain delays be a benefit to brain learning? Professor Kanter is involved with the study. He reports, "The great benefit of having a system with delays is the dynamics of the brain can use the delays as an advantage. In artificial neural networks, each object needs it's own output unit to be recognized, whereas the brain can use one neuronal output where its activity as a funct...

 The atomic arrangement of carbon nanotubes is being researched across Japan. Scientists have created a new catalyst that allows for precise control of this atomic arrangement, also known as chirality. This new advancement will innovate semiconductor devices. The team is being led by Associate Professor Toshiaki Kato from the Advanced Institute of Materials Research (WPI-AIMR). They claim to have created carbon nanotubes with a chiral index of 6,5 with a very high purity of over 95%. The findings were published in ACS Nano on August 20, 2024.  Kato explains, "A carbon nanotube is basically a sheet of carbon rolled into a hallow tube. While it sounds simple (carbon nanotubes) are highly sought after for properties such as their exceptional conductivity, optical characteristics and mechanical strength." Carbon nanotubes is referred to as "the king of nanomaterials." It has a wide variety of positive traits and uses, from biomedical uses to aircraft. Kato reports, ...

 Lithium is important for powering nearly all sustainable technologies. The demand for lithium is growing. Currently 75% of all lithium is locked in saltwater sources and remains untappable.  Monash students have created a world-first technology. They are harvesting lithium directly from these difficult to process sources.  Some researchers claim that the world's supply of lithium could fall short of demand next year. The new technology is called EDTA-aided loose nanofiltration (EALNF). The new way of processing materials extracts both lithium and magnesium. Unlike traditional methods, this new technology doesn't treat magnesium salts as waste, making it smarter faster and eco-friendly.  Two main researchers worked on this project, Dr. Zhikao Li from the Monash Suzhou Research Institute and Professor Xiwang Zhang from the University of Queensland. Their work attempts to met the rising demand for lithium and makes the extraction process more eco-friendly. The study wa...

An innovative new development was featured on the cover of ACS Advanced Electronic Materials. A step forward in the development of graphene-based memristors has been made. Scientists from Queen Mary University of London and Paragaf Limited are researching graphene memristors.  The new work opens the door to scalable production of graphene-based memristors. Memristers are important devices used in non-volatile memory and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Memristers perform analog computations, mimic the synaptic functions of the brain and even store data without power. Graphene can increase performance in these devices drastically. Until recently, the addition of graphene was difficult to add into electronics in a scalable way.  Dr. Zhichao Weng is a Research Scientist at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary. He reports, "Graphene electrodes bring clear benefits to memristor technology. They offer not only improved endurance but also exciting new applicat...

A new paper was published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts. A recent study discusses a new use of seawater as a way to soften banana fibers, while conserving fresh water resources. The study was led by a team of researchers led by Prince Hotor from the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology. The study shows the analysis of the seawater softening process and the implications of environmentally friendly extraction of banana fibers.  There is a need to change from the traditional fresh water retting methods. The use of large amounts of fresh water, which is a precious natural resource. By using seawater, the scientists hope to reduce their environmental impact and offer a solution for arid regions where fresh water is very limited.  The team completed a list of experiments over a five week period. They observed the effects of different sterilization and non sterilization methods on the softening process. The results showed that during the second week of re...

 There is a new class of magnetic materials known as altermagnets. This new material displays a unique type of magnetism. Altermagnets are different from regular ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic reactions. The electron spin of altermagnets varies depending on their momentum. Altermagnets are unique and hold promise for new electronic and spintronic devices. Scientists at Stony Brook University are studying the nonlinear response of planar altermagnets. They have published their work in Physical Review Letters. The researchers report viewing a non-linear response in these materials, using their quantum geometry. Ali Akbar Ghorashi is co-author of this paper. He reports, "Recently two experiments have confirmed the predictable role of quantum geometry in the second-order response of the conventional PT-symmetric antiferromagnets. In these materials, due to the combination of parity (P) and time-reveal (T) symmetries, the Berry curvature (the imaginary component of quantum geometr...