Materials

A special magnetic material was found to create terahertz waves four times more intense than conventional ones. This technology is expected to be used in a variety of industrial fields, including imaging, medical diagnostics, security inspection, and biotechnology.

Topological insulators have an interior that acts as an electrical insulator, with a surface that acts as an electrical conductor. Most of the discovered topological insulators to date have been either three or two-dimensional. But researchers have recently unveiled a one-dimensional topological insulator, with the discovery paving the way for further developments in qubits and solar cells.

DGIST Professor Sang-yun Han Received Young Scientist Award at the PIERS 2024

DGIST Professors Jang Jae-eun and Kwon Hyuk-jun and the research team develop ferroelectric field-effect transistors suitable for heterojunction following a low-temperature annealing process using laser - The development of ferroelectric-based memory devices enables next-generation AI semiconductor systems - The results are published in Advanced Science, a top international journal in the field

- Professor Kyung-In Jang’s team from DGIST, in collaboration with Professor Taeho Park’s team from POSTECH, has developed a stretchable electronic device based on hybrid polymers. - The device maintains high mechanical stability even when it is severely bent or impacted, making it applicable in various industries such as displays, healthcare, and wearables. - Research results published in ACS Nano, the prestigious nanoscience journal.

Researchers created a strong, plastic-free, eco-friendly leather alternative from pineapple leaf fiber and natural rubber, outperforming other plant-based leathers and even mushroom leather in strength and sustainability.

Theoretical simulations and synchrotron experiments reveal the hidden fingerprint of new magnets

The selective bond-breaking powers of enzymes bring new versatility for building nanoparticles with a wide range of technical and medical potential.

Machine learning helps find advantageous combination of salts and organic solvents

A new material developed by researchers at Tohoku University may be the key to quickly flag damaged infrastructure. This material offers a way to reduce the manpower required to regularly monitor structures that undergo daily use such as bridges. Compared to previous methods, this environmentally friendly material boasts the ability to operate without a power supply, and store information about previous incidents of mechanical stress. The application of this mechanoluminescent material is expected to make it easier and less costly to assess the safety of structures we may use in our everyday lives.

Previous research has demonstrated that adding tin to beta-type titanium alloys improves their strength. But scientists have yet to understand the reasons for this. Now, a research team from Tohoku University has pinpointed the exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon.

Renowned for its gleaming silver and gold inlay against dark metallic backgrounds, Bidriware metal work derives its name from the town of its origin — Bidar in southern India. While the earliest documented presence of Bidriware is in a 1625 Deccani miniature painting, the craft is believed to have originated in the 14th century under the patronage of the Bahmani Sultans. Bidriware's allure ensured that it was valued and patronised by royalty across the Indian subcontinent in the late medieval and early modern period. Read about this living tradition, and the processes behind the creation of Bidriware.

A flexible two-layer polymer membrane allows safe, steady, and targeted release of a drug over weeks and months.

Researchers have harnessed artificial intelligence to identify multicomponent metal oxide electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. The breakthrough will make it easier for future researchers to identify the materials needed to address sustainable energy demands.

Achievement of stereoselective up-conversion processes using a chiral donor/acceptor pair in the presence of synthetic saponite

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how negative rumors affect children, a new fiber-sorting method, and an ancient Egyptian “anomaly”.

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking data-driven model to predict the dehydrogenation barriers of magnesium hydride, a promising material for solid-state hydrogen storage. This advancement holds significant potential for enhancing hydrogen storage technologies, a crucial component in the transition to sustainable energy solutions.

Calculations consider how a dozen metals such as titanium combine with nitrogen or carbon to form bonds

A team of researchers has made significant strides in understanding metal–nitrogen–carbon (M–N–C) catalysts, offering alternatives to expensive platinum-group-metal (PGM) catalysts and a pathway to a greener future.

Japanese washi paper is renowned for its aesthetic beauty and its wide-array of usages. Now, a group of Tohoku University researchers have made a green composite material from washi which boasts a 60% increase in strength as well as being more biodegradable. They hope that their research will revive interest in this traditional craft.

Paper-based battery for wearable devices, To pass or not to pass? Kirigami hydrogels rise from cellulose, Climate impact on mountains, Effects of space weathering. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the origin of a nearby asteroid, laser-activated droplets that detect biomarkers, and another example of how apes are not too far from us humans!

Samples reveal evidence of changes experienced by the surface of asteroid Ryugu, some probably due to micrometeoroid bombardment.

Researchers at Tohoku University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency have discovered a unique property, the quantum metric, within magnetic materials, altering the 'electron universe' geometry. This distinct electric signal challenges traditional electrical conduction and could revolutionize spintronic devices.

Tohoku University researchers have unveiled a new means of predicting how to synthesize new materials via the ion-exchange. Based on computer simulations, the method significantly reduces the time and energy required to explore for inorganic materials.

Electron spin states can now be probed at much higher resolution and more efficiently, opening new opportunities in materials analysis and data processing technologies.

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.