[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Well-designed substrates make large single crystal bi-/tri-layer graphene possible
Researchers at the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea reported fabricated and used single crystal copper-nickel alloy foil substrates for the growth of large-area, single crystal bilayer and trilayer graphene films.
Nanocarbon antenna makes a rare earth element shine five times more brightly
Hokkaido University researchers developed a stacked nanocarbon antenna that makes a europium complex shine more than five times brighter than the best previous design when it absorbs low energy blue light.
A megalibrary of nanoparticles
Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University developed a simple approach that could produce over 65,000 different types of complex nanoparticles, each containing up to six different materials and eight segments, with interfaces that could be exploited in electrical or optical applications.
Rice lab turns trash into valuable graphene in a flash
Rice University researchers developed a new “flash graphene” process that can convert a ton of coal, food waste, or other carbon source into graphene for a fraction of the cost used by other bulk graphene-producing methods. The research article explains flash graphene is made in 10 milliseconds by heating carbon-containing materials to 3,000 Kelvin.
Method detects defects in 2D materials for future electronics, sensors
Researchers combined dark field imaging with laser light and second harmonic generation to quickly and sensitively characterize defects in 2D materials. They say the next step is an improvement of the experimental setup to map zero dimension defects.
ENERGY
Less may be more in next-gen batteries
Rice University researchers built lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes and an alumina layer to protect cathodes from degrading. By making silicon porous and limiting capacity to 1,000 mAh/g, the test batteries provided stable cycling with still-excellent capacity.
Blue-emitting diode demonstrates limitations and promise of perovskite semiconductors
University of California, Berkeley researchers succeeded at making halide perovskite LEDs that emit blue light but found the crystal structure changes with temperature, humidity, and chemical environment, disrupting their optical and electronic properties.
Engineers examine lithium battery defects
Michigan Technological University researchers investigated the unique mechanics of lithium at the microscale to understand the conditions that enable dendrites and how to stop them. They did so by performing nanoindentation experiments in high purity lithium films.
Researchers advance solar material production
Washington State University researchers developed a more efficient, safer, and cost-effective way to produce cadmium telluride material for solar cells. The technique, which uses a high-pressure furnace to produce a more than kilogram-sized crystal in one day, produces a material with better electrical properties than what is currently available.
ENVIRONMENT
Plants absorb lead from perovskite solar cells more than expected
Researchers led by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin collaborated with plant scientists from the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in China and found lead from perovskite solar cells is ten times more bioavailable than lead from other industrial sources.
Current model for storing nuclear waste is incomplete
Researchers led by The Ohio State University showed materials planned to store high-level nuclear waste will likely degrade faster than anyone previously knew because of the way those materials interact. Specifically, they found glass and ceramics interact with stainless steel to accelerate corrosion when exposed to an aqueous environment.
OTHER STORIES
First detailed electronic study of new nickelate superconductor finds 3D metallic state
Scientists led by SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University report the first detailed investigation of the electronic structure of superconducting nickel oxides, or nickelates. They found intervening layers contribute electrons to the nickelate sheets, creating a 3D metallic state that is quite different from what is seen in cuprates.
Coating helps electronics stay cool by sweating
Researchers found coating aluminum sheets with a metal organic framework delayed the temperature rise of the sheets. This thermal management method could prevent electronics from overheating and keep them cooler compared to existing strategies.
Texas A&M researchers found that adding silicon to boron carbide can make body armor more resilient to firearms. They say more experiments need to be done to know if other elements, like lithium and aluminum, could also improve performance.
Imagine touchscreens so thin you can roll them and fold them
Researchers led by RMIT University reduced a thin film common in mobile phone touchscreens from 3D to 2D using liquid metal chemistry. The new type of atomically-thin indium-tin oxide is flexible and absorbs just 0.7% of light, compared with 5–10% for standard conductive glass.