Tandem Architectures for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction: From Coupled Atomic Sites to Tandem Electrolysers
The review outlines how tandem architectures—linking atomic‑scale active sites with multi‑stage electrolyzers—drive electrochemical CO₂ reduction toward multicarbon products. It highlights the role of metal‑N‑C catalysts for selective CO generation, followed by copper‑based downstream catalysts that couple CO into C₂⁺ fuels. Recent advances in membrane design, catalyst spatial arrangement, and operating conditions enable current densities above 1 A cm⁻² with high Faradaic efficiencies. The paper also discusses remaining challenges in scalability, durability, and system integration.
Warning of Kidney Cell Damage From High Exposure to Nanoplastics
Flinders University researchers have demonstrated that high concentrations of nanoplastics can damage kidney cells, altering shape, survival and regulatory functions. The laboratory study exposed renal cells to polystyrene, PMMA and polyethylene particles of varying sizes, finding toxicity depends on both...
On-Chip Optical Tweezers Enable High-Throughput Biomanipulation
Researchers have introduced flexible, stretchable on‑chip optical tweezers that retain high‑precision trapping while bending or stretching. The platform uses elastomeric waveguides and micro‑lenses to deliver parallelized, high‑throughput manipulation of bioparticles. Demonstrations show reliable performance after thousands of deformation cycles and...
Agenda Update: Skeleton Technologies Joins Graphene Connect 2026!
Graphene Connect 2026 has added a new session featuring Skeleton Technologies, the European high‑power energy storage leader. The company will deliver a talk titled “From 2D to 3D: Turning Advanced Materials into Product‑Level Benefits,” highlighting how carbon‑based 2D materials can...
New Brochure for High-Precision Motion Control, Nanopositioning Automation & Piezo Solutions
Physik Instrumente (PI) has issued a new brochure positioning the company as a long‑term OEM partner for high‑precision motion control, nanopositioning and piezo solutions. The catalogue highlights fast steering mirrors, 6‑DoF hexapods, granite‑based multi‑axis platforms and nano‑focus motors tailored for...
Stacked Graphene Sandwich Reveals Switchable Memory without Traditional Ferroelectrics
A research team from DGIST and KAIST demonstrated a novel memory device that uses a graphene‑hBN‑α‑RuCl₃ sandwich structure to generate switchable electric dipoles without any traditional ferroelectric material. The interfacial charge rearrangement creates a ferroelectric‑like state that can be written...
Ultra-Thin Metasurface Can Generate and Direct Quantum Entanglement
Researchers at Nanjing University and the University of Science and Technology of China have demonstrated an ultra‑thin metasurface that both creates and routes polarization‑entangled photon pairs. The nanostructured silicon‑pillar array converts two orthogonal photons into Bell‑state entanglement across multiple output...
Niobium's Superconducting Switch Cuts Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer 20-Fold
University of Michigan engineers have demonstrated that a thin niobium film, when cooled below its superconducting transition at 7.4 K, suppresses near‑field radiative heat transfer by a factor of 20 compared with its normal metallic state. The team built a scanning...
Injectable Thermogel‐Loaded Bi2S3 Nanorods for Synergistic Photothermal Bacterial Elimination and Anti‑Inflammation to Remodel Periodontitis Microenvironment
Researchers have created an injectable, thermosensitive hydrogel (Bi2S3@Gel) loaded with bismuth sulfide nanorods that activates under near‑infrared light. The material delivers mild photothermal heating, amplifies reactive oxygen species, and depletes glutathione, achieving potent antibacterial action. At the same time, the...
Ti3C2 MXene Nanosheets and K+/Strong Base Synergistically Regulated G‐C3N5 Jointly Construct a Novel Photogenerated Electron Capacitor for Efficient Photosynthesis of...
Researchers introduced a photo‑induced electron capacitor (MKCN) by self‑assembling Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets with potassium‑ and strong‑base‑treated nitrogen‑rich carbon nitride (g‑C3N5). The hybrid functions as a dual‑electrode system where g‑C3N5 generates electrons and MXene captures them, enabling spatial charge separation and...
Enhancing Active Surface Area and Gas Diffusion Properties of Low‐Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes by Sputtering with Glancing Angle...
The research introduces glancing angle deposition (GLAD) to fabricate nanoporous La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3‑δ (LSCF) thin‑film cathodes for low‑temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT‑SOFCs). By adjusting sputtering pressure and film thickness, the team achieved a nanocolumnar structure with 21.5% porosity, cutting polarization resistance...
Cation‐Doped Ionic Thermoelectric Ionogels With Nonlinear Temperature‐Voltage Response Characteristics
Researchers developed a PVDF‑HFP‑based ionogel doped with various cations, achieving a thermopower of 23.7 mV K⁻¹ and a power density of 102.8 µW m⁻² K⁻². Precise temperature‑difference control induces a nonlinear temperature‑voltage response due to dynamic ion‑concentration reconstruction. An 18‑unit ionic thermoelectric device produced 2.09 V,...
The Next Frontier in Perovskite Stability: Operando Smart‐Responsive Materials Driving the Next Revolution
Researchers are integrating stimulus‑responsive materials into perovskite solar cells to turn external stressors—light, heat, humidity—into stabilizing actions. These operando smart‑responsive layers dynamically adjust their physicochemical state, curbing ion migration and extending device lifetimes. The review outlines recent mechanisms, from reversible...
Selection of Metal–Tellurium (M–Te) Alloy as Recyclable Controlled Te Precursors for Wafer‐Scale Synthesis of MxTey Thin Films
The study presents a confined tellurization technique that uses recyclable metal‑tellurium (M‑Te) alloys as controllable tellurium sources to grow wafer‑scale metal telluride (MxTey) films. Cohesive‑energy calculations and experiments identify Au‑Te and Ag‑Te alloys as optimal, delivering steady Te flux while...
Large‐Area Bi2O2Se Nanosheets With Enhanced Optoelectronic Performance for Flexible Electronics
Researchers have demonstrated atmospheric‑pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) of large‑area Bi2O2Se nanosheets, achieving domain sizes up to 0.4 mm. The nanosheets exhibit high carrier mobility—110 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ at room temperature and over 3700 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 2.3 K—while maintaining structural integrity under repeated bending. Detailed experiments...
Ligand‐Driven Optimization of Iron Oxide Nanoprobes for In Vivo MRI Enhancement at Ultra‐High Field
Researchers developed a ligand‑driven method to fine‑tune T2 relaxivity of 12 nm iron‑oxide nanoparticles for ultra‑high‑field MRI. By exchanging five surface coatings—PAA, PMA, PMAO, citric acid and silica—they achieved up to a 333 mm⁻¹ s⁻¹ increase in r₂, with citric‑acid‑coated particles reaching record...
Oxygen Vacancy Shell Coupled Pt Clusters Engineering for Sunlight Driven Selective Decarboxylation of Amino Acids
Researchers have engineered a heterogeneous photocatalyst comprising a titanium‑dioxide core, an oxygen‑vacancy‑rich shell, and platinum nanoclusters. The Pt/TiO2@VO‑shell catalyst dramatically improves sunlight‑driven decarboxylation of L‑lysine, achieving 73.5% cadaverine selectivity and a productivity of 154.5 mM per gram, far surpassing conventional TiO2....
Graphene-Enhanced Wallpaper Trial Launched in Fareham Military Homes
VIVO Defence Services has begun a six‑month trial of NexGen Heating’s graphene‑enhanced wallpaper in two military homes in Fareham, Hampshire. The electric graphene‑heated paper, installed on ceilings, emits low‑temperature far‑infrared radiation that warms occupants and objects within minutes, aiming to...
Magneto-Mechanical Forces Reprogram Macrophages for Tumor Immunity
Researchers have demonstrated that dynamic magneto‑mechanical forces applied within lysosomes can durably repolarize tumor‑associated macrophages from an M2 to an M1 phenotype. By loading macrophages with engineered magnetic nanoparticles and exposing them to alternating magnetic fields, the team triggered lysosomal...
Acid Treated Carbon Nanotubes Raise Efficiency and Durability of Flexible Perovskite Solar Modules
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zhengzhou University have demonstrated flexible perovskite solar modules exceeding 20% efficiency using sulfuric‑acid‑treated single‑walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) window electrodes. The acid treatment raises the conductivity of the SWCNT network and creates a...
Polymer Nanoparticles Drive Platinum Free Solar Hydrogen
A research team at Chalmers University has demonstrated that conjugated polymer nanoparticles can photocatalytically split water into hydrogen using sunlight, eliminating the need for costly platinum. By engineering hydrophilic, loosely packed polymer chains, the particles achieve a production rate of...
Corn Cob Biochar Filters Pull Ammonia and Micro and Nanoplastics From Water
Researchers at the University of Delaware have converted discarded corn cobs into high‑performance biochar filters that simultaneously adsorb dissolved ammonia and micro‑/nanoplastic particles. In lab tests, the optimized 700 °C corn‑cob biochar (CCB700) removed about 64% of ammonia at 10 ppm and...
Germanium Oxide Interface Boosts Tin Monosulfide Thin Film Solar Cell Efficiency and Stability
Researchers at Chonnam National University introduced an ultra‑thin germanium oxide (GeOₓ) interlayer to improve the rear‑contact interface of tin monosulfide (SnS) thin‑film solar cells. The 7 nm GeOₓ layer, formed by vapor‑transport deposition and natural oxidation, suppresses deep‑level defects, blocks sodium...
Study Links Bottled Water to Higher Nanoplastic Levels than Tap
Researchers at Ohio State University found that popular bottled water brands contain roughly three times more nanoplastic particles than treated municipal tap water. The study introduced a combined scanning electron microscopy and optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy technique capable of detecting...
Paclitaxel Expands TREM2+ Macrophages, Reducing Efficacy
A recent preclinical study reveals that paclitaxel treatment expands TREM2‑positive macrophages within the tumor microenvironment, dampening anti‑tumor immune responses. The increase in these immunosuppressive cells correlates with a measurable reduction in paclitaxel’s cytotoxic efficacy across several cancer models. Researchers demonstrated...
Identifying Mechanisms that Support Nanoparticle Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases
Northwestern Medicine researchers identified how a biodegradable nanoparticle therapy induces antigen‑specific tolerance in autoimmune disease models. The study shows myeloid cells ingest the particles, undergo apoptosis, and release oxidized DNA that activates the STING pathway, leading to type‑I interferon production....
Real-Time View Inside Microreactor Reveals 2D Semiconductor Growth Secrets
A team led by Hiroo Suzuki at Okayama University captured real‑time, atomic‑scale images of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide growth inside a micro‑reactor using an infrared‑heated CVD system. The study identified distinct growth regimes—triangular, hexagonal, and ribbon‑like crystals—driven by molten precursor...
Two-Step Approach Creates More Sustainable Protein Nanostructures for Advanced Sensing and Therapeutics
Researchers at Rice University introduced a two‑step, dual‑inducer genetic system that decouples the expression of gas vesicle assembly factors from the shell protein in Escherichia coli. By giving assembly factors a two‑ to three‑hour head start, the method reduces cellular...
Nanotubes with Lids Mimic Real Biology
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and University of Maryland scientists engineered carbon nanotubes with pH‑responsive lid structures that act as molecular gates, mimicking biological ion channels. The lids close under acidic conditions, blocking water and ion flow, and open at neutral...
Excited‐State Dynamics in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals: Effects of Size, Shape, Doping, and Surface Modifications
The review surveys how size, shape, composition, surface ligands, metal‑ion doping, temperature, and heterostructure engineering influence the excited‑state dynamics of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals. It contrasts these perovskite NCs with traditional chalcogenide quantum dots, highlighting distinct defect states and relaxation...
Oxygen Vacancy‐Engineered High‐Entropy Oxide Nanozymes for Spatiotemporal Cascading Antifouling in Marine Environments
Researchers have engineered oxygen‑vacancy‑rich high‑entropy oxide nanozymes (Vo‑HEO) that mimic haloperoxidase activity to produce both hydroxyl radicals and long‑lived hypobromous acid (HOBr). The dual catalytic system delivers rapid oxidative damage at the surface while HOBr diffuses into bulk water, suppressing...
Harnessing the Heavy‐Atom Effect and Linkage Engineering in Isomorphic COFs for Enhanced H2O2 Photosynthesis
The research introduces a heteroatom‑tuned covalent organic framework (COF) strategy that dramatically boosts photocatalytic H2O2 synthesis. By incorporating sulfur atoms and optimizing linker geometry, the thiourea‑based COF‑127 delivers a record 6672 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ production rate and an 11.03% apparent quantum yield without...
How PNIPAM Microgel Architecture Controls Pickering Foam Formation
Researchers examined how the internal architecture of poly(N‑isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels affects Pickering foam formation. They found that microgels with a distinct core‑shell structure generate larger foam volumes, smaller bubbles, and higher liquid fractions compared with less‑structured particles. Faster interfacial adsorption...
Chloride Ion‐Specific Etching‐Driven Synthesis of Porous Cobalt‐Doped FeOOH Anodes for Robust Ni‐Fe Batteries
Researchers introduced a chloride‑ion‑assisted etching technique to grow cobalt‑doped FeOOH porous nanosheets directly on iron foam, creating a high‑surface‑area anode for nickel‑iron batteries. The resulting electrode achieves an areal capacity of 1.4 mAh cm⁻² at 4 mA cm⁻² with 94 % coulombic efficiency over 1,000...
Sonocatalytic Eradication of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Tailoring Structural Defects of Black Indium Oxide Sonocatalysts and Leveraging Apoptosis/Ferroptosis‐Hybridized Pathways
Researchers engineered palladium‑integrated indium oxide with abundant structural defects to create a high‑performance sonocatalyst for hepatocellular carcinoma. The Pd component provides catalase‑like and peroxidase‑like activities, relieving tumor hypoxia and increasing hydroxyl‑radical generation under ultrasound. This dual action triggers a synergistic...
Structure‐Interface Synergistic Cu–Zn Hybrid Films for High‐Efficiency Thermal Management and Photothermal Conversion
Researchers have developed a multiscale Cu–Zn hybrid film that combines structured metal interfaces with polymer composites to achieve both high optical absorption and efficient heat transport. The electrodeposited Cu–Zn nanostructures form continuous thermal pathways along flake edges, delivering in‑plane thermal...
Electronic Structure Engineering in MXene SACs: Unveiling the Role of Mixed Termination for ORR/OER Bifunctionality
Researchers engineered Ti2COXClY MXene single‑atom catalysts to probe how mixed O and Cl surface terminations affect the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. By systematically varying the O/Cl ratio on a Ti2C substrate, they demonstrated that the adsorption energy of the...
Enriched Localized Electron Confined Ultrafine Pt NPs Sites for Selective Catalytic Hydrogenation in Sulfur‐Containing Feedstocks
Researchers have developed an electronic confinement strategy that embeds ultrafine platinum nanoparticles within multilayer graphene enriched with localized electrons and encapsulated by cobalt particles. The Pt/Co@NC catalyst delivers a reaction rate of 33.1 mol p‑CAN gPt⁻¹ h⁻¹ and a turnover frequency of 6,449 h⁻¹ for...
AI‐Guided Design of pH‐ and Redox‐Responsive Lignin@GO@ZIF‐8 Nanocarriers for Targeted Co‐Delivery of 5‐Fluorouracil and Metformin in Prostate Cancer Therapy
Researchers employed an AI‑guided workflow to engineer pH‑ and redox‑responsive Lignin@GO@ZIF‑8 nanocarriers that co‑deliver 5‑fluorouracil and metformin for prostate cancer treatment. Machine‑learning models, particularly XGBoost trained on 500 formulation data points, achieved R² values of 0.86‑0.89 for predicting drug loading,...
Transition Between Digital Switching and Analog Synapse in AgOx/SnSe2 Memristor Through Thickness Engineering
Researchers demonstrated that an AgOx/SnSe2 memristor can toggle between digital and analog operation simply by varying the AgOx layer thickness. A 75 nm thick AgOx film produces abrupt, high‑contrast switching with an ON/OFF ratio above 10⁶, sub‑10 mV/dec subthreshold swing, and 5,000‑second...
Structured Selective Activation for Bubble‐Controlled High‐Rate Alkaline OER
Researchers engineered a nickel‑iron (NiFe) electrode with selective activation and structured geometry to control bubble dynamics in alkaline oxygen evolution. The device combines micromilling, PTFE coating, and electrodeposition, creating deactivated regions that channel electrolyte and guide bubbles unidirectionally. This design...
Direct Printing of Electronics on Flexible Porous Substrates
The study introduces Drop Impact Printing (DIP), a nozzle‑free method that deposits highly concentrated inks onto untreated porous substrates such as paper in a single pass. By ejecting microdroplets through a sieve‑impact mechanism, DIP limits lateral spread and solvent penetration,...
Nanointerface‐Guided Pt Deposition on Co‐Mn Oxide‐SnO2 Supports for High ORR Durability and Activity
Researchers introduced a nanointerface‑guided catalyst where platinum nanoparticles are deposited on a cobalt‑manganese oxide (CMO) coated tin‑oxide support. The electroless‑plated Pt‑CMO‑SnO2/KB catalyst delivered 1.97‑times higher mass activity than conventional Pt/C and retained 33% more activity after voltage cycling. Microscopy and...
Role of NaF in Attenuating Interfacial Instability of Lithium Metal Anode: A Strategy to Modulate SEI for Enabling Dendrite Free...
Researchers demonstrate that a sodium fluoride (NaF) coating forms an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on lithium metal anodes, directing Li⁺ transport and producing smooth, dendrite‑free deposition. In Li||Li symmetric cells the NaF‑modified electrodes sustain over 500 cycles at 1 mA cm⁻²...
A Non‐Volatile, Low‐Voltage, Stretchable Transparent Dielectric Heater for Real‐World Autonomous Thermal Management Platform (Small 7/2026)
Researchers Jin Woo Bae et al. present a non‑volatile, low‑voltage dielectric heater that is both stretchable and transparent, enabling wearable thermal management in harsh, cold environments. The device uses a sandwich‑structured dielectric heating layer that activates autonomously when ambient temperature drops below a...
Novel Wide‐Spectrum Virucidal Lipid Nanoparticles (Small 7/2026)
Researchers Yugo Araújo Martins, Caroline Tapparel and colleagues introduced POSTAN, a lipid‑based nanoparticle that mimics heparan sulfate proteoglycans and viral lipid rafts. By exploiting the same entry pathways viruses use, POSTAN physically disrupts viral envelopes, halting replication. The platform showed...
Emerging Strategies for Sustainable Nitrogen Activation to Ammonia
The review surveys six cutting‑edge pathways—electrocatalysis, photo/photoelectrocatalysis, non‑thermal plasma, lithium‑mediated reduction, mechanochemistry, and microdroplet catalysis—for converting nitrogen to ammonia under mild conditions. It links molecular mechanisms to interface engineering, benchmarking, and system‑level sustainability, exposing common bottlenecks such as low selectivity...
Fern‐Leaf‐Inspired Multifunctional Flexible Strain Sensors for Motion Monitoring, Information Communication and Health Alert
Researchers have developed a high‑performance flexible strain sensor inspired by fern leaves, employing reverse‑molding and film deposition to create hierarchical veins and a deep W‑shaped groove. The design generates staggered cracks and serpentine conductive paths, delivering a sensitivity of up...
Large‐Area Atomically Thin WS2 Enables Exceptionally Scratch‐Resistant Silica Glass
Researchers have demonstrated that a large‑area, single‑layer WS2 film grown by chemical vapor deposition can dramatically improve the scratch resistance of silica glass. Atomic‑force microscopy tests show a roughly 95% reduction in nanoscale friction, effectively eliminating abrasive wear while maintaining...
Magnetron Sputtered Metallic Thin Films as Li‐Ion Battery Anodes
The review evaluates how magnetron sputtering advances metallic thin‑film anodes for Li‑ion batteries, targeting three core barriers: slow Li‑ion kinetics, pronounced volume expansion, and low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). It details nanostructure engineering, hybridization, and alloying strategies applied to Si,...