Cracking a Long-Standing Problem in High-Entropy Alloy Nanoparticle Synthesis
Researchers at Northwestern University have unveiled a three‑component synthesis that simultaneously controls composition and high‑index surface facets of high‑entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles. The method, demonstrated on a megalibrary chip, can produce roughly 36 million particles spanning 90 000 unique compositions, enabling high‑throughput catalyst discovery. Computational studies validated the stability of the engineered high‑index facets across multiple alloy systems. This breakthrough transforms HEAs from a “black box” into a tunable platform for catalytic applications.
Synergistic Enrichment and Catalytic Sensing Platform Based on ZIF-8-NH₂/Dynamic Schiff Base Hydrogel for Ultrasensitive Detection of Hydroquinone
Researchers have created a dynamic Schiff‑base hydrogel integrated with amino‑functionalized ZIF‑8 (ZIF‑8‑NH₂) that covalently anchors to an oxidized sodium alginate/carboxymethyl chitosan matrix. The resulting OCZN‑30 sensor delivers ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of hydroquinone, achieving a limit of detection of 0.0167 µM and...
Adisyn Eyes Semiconductor Interconnect Solutions After Low-Temp Graphene Breakthrough
Adisyn (ASX: AI1) demonstrated continuous graphene deposition on a 1 cm × 1 cm coupon using standard industrial atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment at temperatures well below the 450 °C semiconductor limit. The low‑temperature process, validated by TEM/FIB‑THEMIS and Raman analysis, marks a step toward...
ATLANT 3D and NUS Partner on AI-Driven Materials Discovery Foundry in Singapore
ATLANT 3D and the National University of Singapore’s Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials have signed an MOU to launch an AI‑driven materials discovery foundry inside NUS’s CREATE lab. The facility will integrate ATLANT 3D’s Direct Atomic Layer Processing (DALP) technology...
Single Indium Atoms Shape CO2-to-Methanol Catalysis
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have shown that monoclinic hafnia can stabilize atomically dispersed indium atoms, creating highly active interfacial sites for CO₂ hydrogenation. The single‑atom indium catalyst delivers markedly higher methanol selectivity and operates at lower temperatures compared with...
On the Interpretation of Astrocytic Calcium Signalling with Graphene Oxide Electrodes
The authors reassess a 2024 Nature Nanotechnology claim that graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrodes can selectively trigger external calcium influx or internal calcium release in astrocytes. They argue that GO’s insulating nature and rGO’s conductivity produce...
When Quantum Fluids of Light Crystallize
Researchers Dario Gerace and Daniele Sanvitto reported the first observation of room‑temperature supersolidity in a quantum fluid of light. They integrated a single‑crystal halide perovskite with a patterned nano‑grating, creating a nonlinear optical lattice that supports polariton condensation. Measurements revealed...
Reply To: On the Interpretation of Astrocytic Calcium Signalling with Graphene Oxide Electrodes
The authors issue a formal reply to critiques of their 2024 Nature Nanotechnology study on graphene‑oxide (GO) electrodes and astrocytic calcium signaling. They reaffirm that GO electrodes reliably trigger distinct calcium transients in cultured astrocytes, and they present additional control...
Wafer-Scale 2D Magnetic Films Emerge Thanks to a New Low-Defect Growth Technique
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science have introduced a low‑defect physical vapor transport deposition (PVTD) method that produces centimeter‑scale, wafer‑wide CrCl₃ films, a representative two‑dimensional magnetic material. By darkening the growth tube, using ultra‑high carrier‑gas flow, dynamically controlling material...
Scientists Just Found a Way to Control Electrons without Magnets
Scientists have demonstrated that chiral phonons can transfer orbital angular momentum to electrons in non‑magnetic quartz, establishing a magnet‑free route to orbitronics. The study, published in Nature Physics, shows that aligning chiral phonons produces an orbital Seebeck effect, generating a...
Graphene-Based Interlayer Boosts Li-S Battery Performance
Researchers at Cochin University of Science and Technology have introduced a bifunctional polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) interlayer integrated into a lithium‑sulfur battery separator. The composite simultaneously anchors polysulfides and provides a conductive network, mitigating the shuttle effect that limits Li‑S...
When Light Gets Trapped at Nanoscale: New Ways to Power the Future of Optoelectronics From Bound States in the Continuum...
Researchers have highlighted photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs) as a breakthrough for nanoscale light trapping, enabling ultra‑compact, chip‑compatible metasurfaces. A recent review by Do and Ha surveys material platforms, topological BIC variants, and emerging machine‑learning design methods, illustrating...
Reductive Transformation of ALD TeO2 Into Continuous and Impurity‐Free Tellurium Films
Researchers have unveiled a reductive transformation that converts atomic‑layer‑deposited TeO₂ into continuous, impurity‑free tellurium films. The self‑limiting process uses in‑situ generated TeH₂ from Te(SiMe₃)₂ and NH₃, eliminating oxygen from both bulk and interface while preserving conformality even at sub‑5 nm thicknesses....
Laser‐Assisted In Situ Fabrication of rGO/Bi2O3 Nanocomposites for Heavy Metal Sensing
Researchers have demonstrated a single‑step CO₂ laser process that simultaneously reduces graphene oxide and forms Bi₂O₃ nanoplatelets, creating flexible rGO/Bi₂O₃ nanocomposite electrodes. The laser‑engineered electrodes exhibit excellent stripping voltammetric performance for trace Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II), achieving detection limits as...
Zirconia Thin Films Unlock New Reversible Nonpolar-to-Polar Mechanism
Researchers at National Taiwan University have demonstrated a reversible non‑polar‑to‑polar transition in a 12‑nm zirconia (ZrO₂) thin film, establishing a near‑constant‑volume tetragonal symmetry change. This mechanism eliminates the traditional wake‑up effect that degrades antiferroelectric performance, enabling ultra‑stable behavior over 10⁸...