Know What's Happening in Nanotech
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Graphene 'nano‑aquariums' capture atomic‑resolution videos of single gold atoms in liquid
Researchers at the University of Manchester have engineered graphene‑based nano‑aquariums that seal attoliter‑scale liquid pockets between atom‑thin graphene sheets. This platform enables transmission electron microscopy to film individual gold atoms moving in liquid, a capability previously blocked by the vacuum requirements of TEM. The technique works across many organic solvents, expanding real‑time nanoscale observation of chemical processes.
Researchers used atomic layer deposition to place Pt nanoparticles on TiO2‑modified ZSM‑5, using the TiO2 layer as a tunable spacer that sets the distance between metal and acid sites. By varying this metal‑acid proximity, they observed a volcano‑shaped performance curve in n‑hexane hydroisomerization, peaking at a 67.5% iso‑C6 yield. The optimal spacing enhances diffusion confinement, steering reactants toward kinetically favorable pathways. The work demonstrates that precise nanoscale engineering of bifunctional catalysts can dramatically boost hydroisomerization efficiency.
Researchers introduced a reactive gradient‑random block copolymer (GRC‑BCP) that self‑assembles into vertically oriented nanopatterns without surface neutralization. The architecture permits post‑polymerization modification, enabling synthesis of diverse high‑χ derivatives such as organosilicon and organotin variants. Patterns as narrow as 7 nm were...
Researchers engineered three amidoxime‑functionalized defective UiO‑66 metal‑organic frameworks (MOFs) using a ligand modulation strategy, dramatically improving uranium capture from seawater. UiO‑66‑3BA‑AO achieved a record saturated adsorption capacity of 904.1 mg g⁻¹ within 90 minutes and extracted 26.9 mg g⁻¹ of uranium over 28 days in natural...
The review introduces a pair‑resolved framework for Fe‑M dual‑atom catalysts (DACs) that program peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, allowing seamless switching between radical and non‑radical pathways. It connects synthesis details, µ‑peroxo bridging, and spin/electronic coupling to pathway selection, pollutant selectivity, and catalyst...
The study demonstrates that inhalation of graphene nanomaterials induces pulmonary fibrosis accompanied by ferroptotic cell death. Dose‑ and time‑dependent exposure leads to organ‑specific damage, especially in the lungs and immune system. Researchers identified 1‑methyladenosine (m1A) as a responsive biomarker, whose...
The researchers present a gemini lipidoid that self‑assembles into vesicles only when exposed to hydrophobic molecules, creating a label‑free optical sensor for fatty acids and steroids. This platform distinguishes chain length, degree of unsaturation, and even cis‑trans isomers without any...
Researchers have created crosslinked anion exchange membranes (AEMs) by in‑situ free‑radical cyclopolymerization of diallylammonium‑functionalized poly(biphenyl alkylene). By varying the diallyldimethylammonium comonomer, the ion exchange capacity (IEC) was precisely tuned between 2.32 and 3.39 meq g⁻¹ while maintaining a robust network. The optimized...
Researchers unveiled an Ag/CdS‑GeSe/FTO memristor that operates in both analog and digital regimes, switching below 0.8 V for gradual conductance changes and above 0.8 V for binary states. The heterostructure responds to visible and infrared light, with 405 nm optical pulses further modulating...
Researchers investigated an extra light‑anneal step applied after laser‑enhanced contacts in polysilicon TOPCon solar cells. The additional anneal caused a notable rise in series resistance, traced to hydrogen buildup at the metal/p+ emitter interface. Luminescence imaging and contact‑resistance tests confirmed...
The review categorizes extracellular vesicle (EV) encapsulation into nanoscale, microscale and macroscale approaches, detailing how each tier shields vesicles and modulates release. It highlights recent material innovations that improve EV stability, targeting precision, and therapeutic payload capacity. The authors discuss...
Researchers have engineered folate‑acid‑modified polydopamine nanoparticles loaded with copper peroxide (PDCF NPs) to treat oral squamous cell carcinoma. The nanocarriers generate high levels of reactive oxygen species, which promote Gasdermin D palmitoylation and trigger robust pyroptosis while simultaneously downregulating heat‑shock...
Researchers engineered a probiotic E. coli strain by coating it with polydopamine and a cationic BODIPY photosensitizer, creating the E@PB platform that combines photothermal, photodynamic, and immune therapies. The dual‑laser system (808 nm and 660 nm) induces localized hyperthermia and reactive oxygen...
Researchers discovered that adding sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) during aqueous Fe³⁺ reduction produces iron nanoparticles with crystallites as small as 1 nm—the smallest reported to date. The effect is highly specific; structurally similar sulfonates instead enlarge crystallites to 9‑32 nm. At an optimal...
Researchers used X‑ray nano‑diffraction to map vanadium sesquioxide (V2O3) devices at the nanoscale, showing that focused gallium ion irradiation creates a defect region that lowers the metal‑to‑insulator transition temperature. The lattice mismatch between pristine and irradiated zones generates internal strain,...
Researchers have fabricated a lightweight MXene/lignocellulose-derived carbon aerogel incorporating iron particles that delivers exceptional electromagnetic wave absorption. The hierarchical porous structure, combined with MXene’s high conductivity and Fe’s magnetic loss, yields a minimum reflection loss of –51.2 dB and an effective...
Researchers synthesized covalent organic framework COF-316 with irreversible ether linkages and chemically post‑modified its nitrile groups into carboxyl (316‑COOH) and amide (316‑AM) functionalities. The modified COFs preserved their crystalline architecture while showing markedly higher water vapor uptake and proton conductivity,...
Researchers engineered the interface of a Mo‑decorated FeCoNiCuMo high‑entropy alloy (HEA) with metal to redistribute charge, improving hydrogen adsorption/desorption balance and OH‑ affinity. This modulation accelerates the Volmer and Heyrovsky steps, boosting hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics. The heterostructured catalyst delivers...
Researchers introduced an oil–water interfacial reaction to supply H⁺ and Br⁻ to CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals, achieving simultaneous defect passivation and proton source generation. This single‑step treatment raised photoluminescence quantum yields and boosted visible‑light photocatalytic CO₂ reduction activity. In‑situ DRIFTS identified...
Researchers leveraged Ostwald ripening to grow monodisperse five‑monolayer CsPbBr3 nanoplatelets, then applied a two‑step bromide‑to‑iodide anion exchange to convert them into pure‑red CsPbI3 nanoplatelets. The resulting nanocrystals exhibit near‑unity photoluminescence quantum yield. Light‑emitting diodes built from these plates deliver a...
Researchers have engineered a Mo‑doped β‑Co(OH)₂/Co₈₅Mo₁₅ catalyst that undergoes in‑situ surface reconstruction, delivering abundant active hydrogen while strongly adsorbing nitrate ions. The catalyst achieves a Faradaic efficiency of ~96 % at –0.1 V vs RHE, 95 % ammonia selectivity, and maintains performance for...
Researchers used ultrafast flash Joule heating to fabricate an entropy‑engineered bioanode that anchors high‑entropy oxide (HEO) nanoparticles onto Fe‑ and N‑doped carbon nanotubes. The hybrid HEO/Fe,N‑CNT electrode delivers a record 3.76 W m⁻² power density in microbial fuel cells, a 9.6% gain...
Researchers have engineered a bifunctional electrocatalyst by depositing an amorphous iron‑vanadium (FeV) layer onto anti‑perovskite nickel‑zinc nitride (NiZnN), designated FeV_NiZnN. The catalyst delivers low overpotentials of 201 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction at 10 mA cm⁻² and 115 mV for the hydrogen evolution...
Researchers demonstrated that tuning the interaction between iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) redox mediator and cathode surfaces markedly improves lithium‑oxygen (Li‑O2) battery performance. By replacing sp2‑carbon cathodes with non‑sp2 materials such as MoN, TiN, and Ti3C2Tx, FePc adsorption weakens, boosting its solubility...
Monash Health and Monash University have secured a $100,000 grant from the Love Your Sister Foundation to develop a graphene‑oxide biosensor that detects circulating tumor DNA for early cancer diagnosis. The interdisciplinary team will engineer a functionalised GO surface that...
Scientists have demonstrated a robust method for growing epitaxial aluminium films on indium‑gallium arsenide (InGaAs) using molecular‑beam epitaxy at near‑room temperature. By depositing aluminium at 3 Å s⁻¹ onto a 14 °C substrate, they achieved continuous, superconducting layers with no detectable indium interdiffusion....
A research team at DGIST has unveiled a perovskite‑based betavoltaic cell that reaches a record 10.79% energy‑conversion efficiency using carbon‑14 nanoparticles as the beta source. The device demonstrates stable power output for over 15 hours, a six‑fold gain versus the...
Researchers have shown that ferroelastic domain walls in strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) are active participants in electron transport, exhibiting emergent polar order, glass‑like relaxations and memory effects. Using resonant piezospectroscopy, electric‑field‑dependent optical imaging, scanning SQUID and single‑electron‑transistor microscopy, they visualized wall...
A recent study published in the International Journal of Nanoparticles examined how silver particles ranging from 10 nm to 240 nm interact with light. Researchers found that particles under 100 nm primarily absorb light, midsized particles (40‑60 nm) exhibit plasmonic resonance, and larger particles...
Researchers at the University of Oldenburg have created a hybrid nanostructure of silver and a monolayer tungsten disulfide that acts as an ultrafast optical switch, changing its reflectivity within 70 femtoseconds. The device, described in Nature Nanotechnology, demonstrates a 10 %...
UC Santa Barbara researchers led by Stephen Wilson have shown that magnetic and bond frustration can coexist in a triangular‑lattice antiferromagnet, creating a dual‑frustrated system. By embedding lanthanide moments in a crystal that also hosts strained dimer bonds, they demonstrated that tiny...
Researchers at Xidian University have engineered soft‑membrane nanoparticles (PGC@FM) that fuse selectively with cancer cells, exploiting the lower membrane stiffness of tumors. The particles deliver mRNA directly to the cytoplasm, bypassing lysosomal degradation that plagues conventional lipid nanoparticles. In mouse...
Scientists from CSMCRI, IIT Gandhinagar, NTU Singapore and S N Bose have created ultra‑selective crystalline membranes called POMbranes, featuring permanent 1 nm pores. The membranes achieve ten‑fold higher separation performance than conventional polymer filters while remaining flexible, chemically stable and scalable. Laboratory tests show...
Researchers from Wrocław University of Science and Technology and the University of Münster have theoretically demonstrated strong coupling between quantum dots and gigahertz phononic crystal waveguides, achieving energy shifts up to 0.7 meV. By combining k·p and configuration‑interaction modeling, they show...
Scientists at the National University of Singapore have shown that atomic‑scale substitutional dopants in two‑dimensional transition‑metal dichalcogenides can act as stable quantum defects with terahertz‑range zero‑field splitting. High‑throughput first‑principles simulations of 50 MoS₂ and WSe₂ monolayers identified several spin‑triplet defects...
Researchers at UNSW Sydney have demonstrated room‑temperature, optically detected coherent control of organic molecular spins combined with microscopy to map spatial coherence in pentacene‑doped p‑terphenyl thin‑films and crystals. The study reveals that thin‑films exhibit up to 7.6 % variability in magnetic‑field...
Researchers at MD Anderson and Stanford engineered bispecific nanobodies that anchor viral particles to the respiratory mucus, boosting the airway’s first‑line defense. In preclinical mouse models the nanobodies reduced infection rates for influenza and SARS‑CoV‑2 and cut viral transmission. The...
Researchers at Seoul National University of Science and Technology have introduced thermally removable dopants into hexagonal tungsten‑oxide nanorods, unlocking sodium‑ion electrochromic activity. The dopant‑free tunnels allow low‑cost sodium electrolytes to deliver near‑infrared (NIR) modulation comparable to lithium‑based systems, even with...
Monash University researchers have unveiled a solvent‑free, mechanochemical process that produces nitrogen‑doped graphene nanoplatelets from a bio‑derived nitrogen source. By grinding materials instead of using liquid chemicals, the method slashes energy consumption and eliminates toxic by‑products. The resulting graphene exhibits...
Levidian announced a second tonne‑scale graphene order for a large industrial client in Saudi Arabia, delivered via its regional partner Kanoo Energy. The deal follows an earlier order, highlighting a shift from laboratory testing to commercial performance trials in the...
Researchers in Japan have unveiled a palm‑sized solid‑oxide fuel cell (SOFC) microreactor that can reach 600 °C within five minutes and generate electricity for edge devices. The device uses a yttria‑stabilized zirconia cantilever structure and a multilayer insulation system to eliminate...
Researchers at Hanyang University have built a three‑dimensional stacked memristor cross‑bar array that computes squared Euclidean distance directly in memory, eliminating the need for external arithmetic circuits. The 2 × 32 × 32 architecture stores raw weights in a lower layer and their squares...
A research team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has unveiled a double‑cycle circular confocal Raman‑spectroscopy system (C‑CERS) that doubles the optical path length and tolerates misalignment. By arranging spherical mirrors in a confocal ring and adding a retro‑reflector, the...
Scientists at RIKEN have introduced a focused ion beam technique that can carve three‑dimensional nanostructures directly from single‑crystal materials. Using this method they sculpted helical devices from the magnetic Weyl semimetal Co₃Sn₂S₂, which displayed a switchable diode effect that reverses...
Researchers in China have discovered an interface‑specific structural‑compositional transformation in a bulk Pd₄₀Ni₄₀P₂₀ nanoglass that occurs well below its glass transition temperature. Using a two‑step process of inert‑gas‑condensed nanoparticles and 8 GPa consolidation, they produced a dense granular nanostructured glass whose...
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science unveiled a novel method to analyze dendritic growth in thin‑film materials. By combining persistent homology, a topological data analysis technique, with principal component analysis, they correlated dendrite shapes to Gibbs free energy gradients. The...
Researchers at Wenzhou Medical University have engineered size‑evolving nanoparticles that can be administered as eye drops to deliver the anti‑VEGF protein bevacizumab to the retina. The particles begin at roughly 214 nm, linger on the ocular surface, and shrink to about...
Researchers led by Denis Karaiskaj used multidimensional electronic spectroscopy to uncover previously hidden energy transfer pathways in hybrid plasmonic nanostructures. The technique captured the rapid shift from coherent to incoherent excitations with femtosecond temporal resolution. Results demonstrate that these nanostructures...
Researchers engineered bispecific nanobodies that tether to airway mucus, creating a localized barrier against respiratory viruses. In mouse models, the mucus‑anchored nanobodies dramatically lowered H1N1 influenza titers in nasal passages, trachea and lungs. In a hamster cohousing experiment, a single...
Researchers at RIKEN have used focused ion beam sculpting to fabricate three‑dimensional helical nanostructures from the magnetic Weyl semimetal Co₃Sn₂S₂. The helices display switchable non‑reciprocal electron transport, with current‑induced magnetisation reversal approaching 100 %. Harmonic resistance measurements reveal a quadratic current...
Researchers employed 10‑fs two‑dimensional electronic spectroscopy to probe a hybrid monolayer WS₂ on a silver nanoslit array. The exciton‑plasmon strong coupling produced a 20‑fold increase in optical nonlinearity relative to uncoupled WS₂. Coherent Rabi oscillations with a ~64 fs period were...
