Materials

Researchers at Tohoku University and the University of California, Santa Barbara have unveiled a probabilistic computer prototype. Manufacturable with a near-future technology, the prototype combines a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit with a limited number of stochastic nanomagnets, creating a heterogeneous probabilistic computer.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a floating platform that needs no energy, how shredding your anger can make you feel better, and an automatic lid that can help reduce bacteria in your bathroom.

Zika virus vaccine targets brain cancer, 120-year quest to farm lobsters, Arctic nightlife bursts with sound, Eating a robot, Molecular orientation is key & New treatment for ALS and dementia. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Laser-patterned thin films that swell into kirigami-like structures offer new opportunities in hydrogel technology.

Trapping oxygen molecules adsorbed at defect sites in 2D semiconducting crystals offers greater control over the crystals’ electronic and photonic behaviour.

Process that can lead to mass synthesis yields solid sulfide electrolyte with world’s highest reported sodium ion conductivity and glass electrolyte

Nanocellular graphene, a specialized form of the revolutionary material graphene, is coveted for its ability to improve the performance of electronic devices, energy devices and sensors. But its development has been stymied by cracks that appear during the manufacturing process. Now, researchers have discovered a means to achieve crack-free, robust NCG - something they successfully put to use in a sodium battery.

Disease-causing E. coli among species labeled electrochemically using organic metallic nanohybrids

Researchers at Tohoku University have made a groundbreaking advancement in battery technology, developing a novel cathode material for rechargeable magnesium batteries that enables efficient charging and discharging even at low temperatures.

Drawing inspiration from the way plants breathe, a group of researchers at Tohoku University has created a paper-based magnesium-air battery that can be used in GPS sensors or pulse oximeter sensors. Taking advantage of paper’s recyclability and lightweight nature, the engineered battery holds promise for a more environmentally friendly source of energy.

AI is revolutionizing the way researchers seek to identify new materials, but it still has some shortcomings. Now, a team of researchers has navigated AI’s pitfalls to identify a thermoelectric material that boasts remarkable properties.

- Development of 'Inorganic-Organic Thermoelectric Composite' from Low-Temperature Inorganic Thermoelectric Materials and Conductive Polymers, Ensuring Efficiency and Flexibility - Research findings published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Understanding electron behavior and surface structure of triphenylene thin film molecules deposited on graphite substrates under light irradiation

Researchers from Osaka University conducted a series of participatory deliberation workshops at Osaka University in which the participants were asked to consider issues of future society and manufacturing, in general, and as they relate to hydrothermally produced porous glass. In workshops where the perspective of “imaginary future generations” was adopted, participants’ perceptions of the technology’s feasibility and future potentiality changed significantly.

The “scope of action” and the velocity of Dirac electrons in an organic material

A packing material has been developed for chromatographic resolution on the basis of a clay mineral. The material is an adduct of chiral Cu(II) complex and synthetic hectorite.

Inspired by beetle cuticles, SUTD and NUS scientists have developed optical structures that can produce vibrant, iridescent and completely biodegradable colours using chitin – the world's second most abundant organic material.

Researchers from Osaka University used tip-scan high-speed atomic force microscopy combined with an optical microscope to observe light-induced deformation of azo-polymer films. The process could be followed in real time, and the film patterns were found to change with the polarization of the light source. The observations will contribute to the use of azo-polymers in applications such as optical data storage, and the approach is expected to be useful across materials science and physical chemistry.

In a new step towards combating climate change and transitioning to sustainable solutions, a group of researchers has developed a research paradigm that makes it easier to decipher the relationship between catalyst structures and their reactions.

An international multidisciplinary team of researchers from Singapore, India, Malaysia and Indonesia are breaking boundaries in 3D Printing. They have developed Coir Fiber Polymer Composites with enhanced strength, presenting a new and sustainable way for applications in food and medical packaging.

A novel method for studying genes in testicular cells of living animals could lead to breakthroughs in male contraception and fertility treatments.

Analysis of materials can be done quicker and with less expertise with the help of proven machine learning techniques established in biomedical fields.

Experimental analysis and computer simulations reveal how woven fabric composite materials are deformed by heat.

GPT-4 shows promise as an aid to chemistry researchers, yet its limitations reveal the need for further improvements.

Researchers have developed a proof-of-concept system that allows robotic experiments to run without any human intervention.

Researchers have developed an AI-driven system that can design novel molecules with any desired properties and suggest methods to create them using readily available materials.

Researchers have combined machine learning with robotic process automation to speed up and simplify a time-consuming process.

A new technique allows researchers to map how the cellular “skeleton” adapts to external stress.

Touch sensors that don’t even need direct contact offer new sensitivity for robotic 3D structure recognition and wireless transmission of data.

Fibre-reinforced composites, prone to internal damage, benefit from fibre hybridisation. Using ductile fibre glass mesh (FGM) in ramie/FGM composites, this study shows improved damage resistance, load-bearing, and deformation capacity.