materials science

Revolutionary carbon fiber electrocatalysts pave the way for affordable green hydrogen production

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A groundbreaking technology has been developed to address the limitations of current catalyst electrodes, facilitating the large-scale production of green hydrogen at a relatively low cost. This significant advancement was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The innovative project was led by Professor Han Gi Chae from the Department of Materials Science … Read more

Grain structure of diamond nanoparticles found to affect silicon vacancy center performance

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They say that one can miss the forest for the trees. But it’s often worth taking a closer look at the trees to make sense of the dense, brambly whole. That’s what a Stanford University group did to tackle a thorny quantum-information problem in diamond. A star material for hosting quantum information, diamond nevertheless presents … Read more

PhaseLift-based photoemission orbital tomography simplifies 3D MO visualization in materials

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Discoveries and progress in materials science often lay the foundation for technological breakthroughs that reshape many industrial and commercial fields, including medicine, consumer electronics, and energy generation. The development of experimental techniques is crucial in exploring new materials, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries. These techniques allow scientists to delve into a material’s chemical and … Read more

Antiferroelectric films show promise for overcoming clamping issues in miniaturized piezoelectric devices

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Lighting a gas grill, getting an ultrasound, using an ultrasonic toothbrush—these actions involve the use of materials that can translate an electric voltage into a change in shape and vice versa. Known as piezoelectricity, the ability to trade between mechanical stress and electric charge can be harnessed widely in capacitors, actuators, transducers and sensors like … Read more

Heat treatment transforms amorphous alloy for transverse thermoelectric conversion

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A research team from NIMS and Nagoya University has demonstrated that an iron-based amorphous alloy, widely used as a soft magnetic material in transformers and motors, can be transformed into a “transverse” thermoelectric conversion material that converts electric and thermal currents in orthogonal directions, with just a short period of heat treatment. The study is published online … Read more

Developmental Biology: Processes from Fertilization to Organism Formation

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Developmental biology is a fascinating field that explores the processes governing the growth, differentiation, and organization of cells into complex multicellular organisms. From the moment of fertilization, when a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell, to the formation of fully functional organs and tissues, developmental biology seeks to unravel the intricate molecular, cellular, and … Read more

Physicists discover new method to create strange metals using kagome lattices

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Physicists at MIT and their collaborators have made a fascinating breakthrough in the realm of quantum materials, leading to the discovery of a new method to create a state of matter known as a strange metal. This achievement holds significant promise due to the unique properties of strange metals, which deviate from those of conventional … Read more

Study solves lag mystery in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs)

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Researchers who want to bridge the divide between biology and technology spend a lot of time thinking about translating between the two different “languages” of those realms. “Our digital technology operates through a series of electronic on-off switches that control the flow of current and voltage,” said Rajiv Giridharagopal, a research scientist at the University … Read more

Biochemistry: Chemical Processes in Living Organisms

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Biochemistry is the branch of science that explores the chemical processes and molecules within living organisms. It delves into the structure, function, and interactions of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and metabolites, elucidating fundamental principles of life, cellular functions, biochemical pathways, and molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes. Proteins Proteins are essential biomolecules … Read more

Multimode sensing transforms WGM resonators, enabling high-resolution optical detection

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Whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonators have long fascinated scientists and engineers with their ability to concentrate and manipulate light in minute circular paths, akin to the way whispering galleries focus sound waves. This unique property has led to their utilization in various sensing applications, from detecting chemical signatures to monitoring single molecules. However, their widespread adoption has … Read more

Scientists unlock the secrets of supermagnets

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The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) has harnessed the power of advanced simulations to unravel the magnetization reversal process in Nd-Fe-B magnets. By constructing large-scale finite element models based on tomographic data obtained through electron microscopy, researchers have gained unprecedented insights into the microstructural factors influencing coercivity – a key measure of a magnet’s … Read more

The Importance of Telescopes in Astronomy

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Telescopes have been indispensable tools in the field of astronomy, revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos and shaping the course of scientific inquiry for centuries. From Galileo’s first observations of the Moon and planets to the modern-day marvels of space telescopes, these optical instruments have allowed astronomers to explore distant galaxies, study celestial phenomena, and … Read more

Quantum algorithm revolutionizes simulation of coupled oscillators with exponential speedup

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The concept of “coupled oscillations” may not immediately ring a bell, but these phenomena are ubiquitous in nature, manifesting in a variety of systems from mechanical structures to atomic bonds and gravitational interactions. Coupled harmonic oscillators, describing the interactions between masses and springs, serve as a foundational model in science and engineering, offering insights into … Read more

New microscope sees electrons in a whole new light

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Electron spin states can now be probed at much higher resolution and more efficiently, opening new opportunities in materials analysis and data processing technologies. Researchers Koichiro Yaji and Shunsuke Tsuda at the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan have developed an improved type of microscope that can visualize key aspects of electron spin states … Read more

Researchers develop power-free levitation platform using graphite for sensor applications

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Researchers at the Quantum Machines Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) are studying levitating materials—substances that can remain suspended in a stable position without any physical contact or mechanical support. The most common type of levitation occurs through magnetic fields. Objects such as superconductors or diamagnetic materials (materials repelled by a … Read more

Pair distribution function technique unravels hidden electronic state in 1T-TaS2

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Research often unfolds as a multistage process. The solution to one question can spark several more, inspiring scientists to reach further and look at the larger problem from several different perspectives. Such projects can often be the catalyst for collaborations that leverage the expertise and capabilities of different teams and institutions as they grow. For … Read more

Engineers develop ultra-compact chip for low-noise microwave generation

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In a new Nature study, Columbia Engineering researchers have built a photonic chip that is able to produce high-quality, ultra-low-noise microwave signals using only a single laser. The compact device—a chip so small, it could fit on a sharp pencil point—results in the lowest microwave noise ever observed in an integrated photonics platform. The achievement … Read more

Research achieves stable electrodeposition in all-solid-state batteries

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A research team has successfully enhanced the performance and durability of all-solid-state batteries. This breakthrough was made possible through the implementation of a novel approach known as bottom electrodeposition. Their research has been published in Small. Secondary batteries generally rely on liquid electrolytes when used in various applications, such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems. However, the … Read more

NIMS develops world’s first n-channel diamond MOSFET

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A National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) research team has developed the world’s first n-channel diamond MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor). The developed n-channel diamond MOSFET provides a key step toward CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor: one of the most popular technologies in the computer chip) integrated circuits for harsh environment applications, as well as the development of … Read more

New europium compound identified as potential candidate for quantum memory applications

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In the quest to develop quantum computers and networks, there are many components that are fundamentally different than those used today. Like a modern computer, each of these components has different constraints. However, it is currently unclear which materials can be used to construct those components for the transmission and storage of quantum information. In … Read more