Material Technology

Physicists Produce the First Two-Dimensional Ferrimagnetism in Graphene

Graphic diagram depicting the Hall effect in the system under investigation. Credit: SPbUResearchers from St. Petersburg College and their international associates have created the globe's first two-dimensional ferromagnetism in graphene. The use of the obtained magnetic state of graphene can become the basis of a current method to electronics, increasing its energy efficiency and...

Electrons Zoom Along Quantum Highways in New Material

Scientists showed how MnBi6Te10, shown here in purple (tellurium), blue (bismuth) and green (manganese), can act as a magnetic topological insulator, conducting electrical current (blue) along a “quantum highway” without losing energy. The study revealed that a concerted action of different material defects is key to the quantum electronic properties. Credit: University of ChicagoQuantum...

Acts Like a Plastic But Conducts Like Metal

Credit: © fox17 / stock.adobe.comResearchers at the University of Chicago have found a means to produce a material that resembles plastic yet conducts electricity more like a metal.Like a metal?The research, released on Oct. 26 in Nature, shows how to produce a sort of material wherein the molecular fragments are shuffled and disordered but...

Scientists 3D Print Degradable Polymers Utilizing Salt

Texas A&M University researchers are using 3D printing and salt to create environmentally friendly polymers that will degrade over time. Credit: Texas A&M Engineering.Dr. Emily Pentzer, an associate educator in the Division of Materials Science and Engineering and the Division of Chemistry at Texas A&M College, makes 3D printed polymers more environmentally friendly with a...

A Scientist Just Accidentally Developed A Battery That Could Last A Lifetime

A nanowire compared to a human hair.Poor battery life is the number one issue when it comes to smartphones and laptops. As a wireless society, having to secure ourselves to power up our gadgets seems more and more a nuisance. Furthermore, while scientists are looking into wireless charging, we would have to worry less...

Tiny Photonic Chip Provides a Big Boost in Precision Optics

A 2 mm by 2 mm integrated photonic chip developed by Jaime Cardenas, assistant professor of optics, and PhD student Meiting Song (lead author) will make interferometers—and therefore precision optics—even more powerful. Potential applications include more sensitive devices for measuring tiny flaws on mirrors, or dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, and ultimately, quantum...

Discovering the Technology To Create Unbreakable Compound Glass Screens

The University of Queensland has made a groundbreaking advancement in producing composite glass, potentially eliminating the issue of cracked phone screens.However, Led by Dr. Jingwei Hou, Professor Lianzhou Wang, and Professor Vicki Chen, an international team of researchers has developed a method for creating next-generation composite glass for various applications, including LED lighting,...

New Photonic Chip for Isolating Light May Be Key to Miniaturizing Quantum Technology

Our electrical supply depends heavily on high-voltage direct current cables that can efficiently transfer electricity across great distances. Therefore, improving their performance is a significant challenge. Researchers from the Technology University of Chalmers in Sweden have developed a novel insulation material that is up to three times less conductive with the intention of enhancing...

A Breakthrough in Nanotechnology: A Material-Keyboard Made of Graphene

The material keyboard realized by the ETH Zurich researchers. By applying electric voltages (“keys”) at different points, the magic-​angle graphene can become locally superconducting (electron pairs) or isolating (barrier on the right). Credit: ETH Zurich / F. de VriesResearchers at ETH Zurich have turned specially prepared graphene flakes into insulators or superconductors by using...

Hier Efficiency Electricity Distribution Made Possible By New Insulation Material

The new material is based on polyethylene, which is used for insulation in existing HVDC cables. Now, by adding very small amounts – 5 parts per million – of the conjugated polymer known as poly(3-hexylthiophene), the researchers were able to lower the electrical conductivity by up to three times. Credit: Yen Strandqvist/Chalmers University of...