Materials

Researchers at Tohoku University found the key to taming electrochemical reactions so they don’t produce rogue byproducts instead of valuable fuels.

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. This research shows how exposing a single active site has huge implications for producing green energy.

Brain atlas, From perfume to plastic, Stable solar power, Plant aging switch, Anti-cancer droplets, Greener gold, Extreme star factory and How research shapes sustainability policy. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Secures core technology for high-resolution wearable devices through semiconductor transfer technology... Speeds up the commercialization of next-generation health monitoring devices. - Research results published in the prestigious international journal Materials Today.

- Improving the performance and durability of lithium-sulfur batteries by developing a new, highly effective host material that balances high porosity, excellent electrical conductivity, polarity, and catalytic properties. Research results published in ACS Nano, a well-known academic journal in the field of nanomaterials.

Every bit of technology fails eventually, whether time, wear-and-tear, adverse conditions, or perhaps a mixture of all three are the cause of its demise. Yet predicting when technology might fail is notoriously difficult. When designing equipment for clear-energy systems, engineers often over compensate for this by designing it to withstand more stress than needed. This generates waste, and can sometimes inadvertently increase the wear and tear on materials. Now, an international research team has developed a way to more accurately predict how long mechanical-equipment used in green technology will last, potentially leading to more efficient design processes.

Rechargeable batteries get a supercharged boost from newly developed RAMOFs that don’t break down in water, which was previously a major problem for this material.

Sonochemical degradation of carbon tetrachloride was found to increase in the presence of alcohols

Surface-bound gels may have provided the structure and chemistry for life to take root on Earth, and perhaps beyond

- Joint research team from DGIST, KAIST, POSTECH, Kyung Hee University, and Kongju National University develops a next-generation, eco-friendly heating and cooling technology that operates without electricity - The research result was selected as the cover study in ‘Advanced Materials’

Scientists turn essential oil compounds into durable yet decomposable polymers.

Researchers have developed new means of recycling a common pollutant associated with groundwater and agricultural runoff: nitrate. By developing an electrocatalyst that turns nitrate into ammonia, they have also helped make ammonia production more greener.

Superconductive materials can conduct electricity with no resistance, but typically only at very low temperatures. Realizing superconductivity at room temperature could enable advanced, energy-efficient electronics and other technologies. Now, an international research team is one step closer to such an achievement.

Known as chattra, koda, godugu, sesath and hti in several Indian, Sri Lankan and Burmese languages, the ceremonial parasol has remained a symbol of divinity and political authority across South and Southeast Asia. Discover some of its earliest depictions and read about its making and use today.

Producing this critical item consumes vast amounts of electricity, with current electrodes relying on noble metals that are costly and limited. However, a research group has used “volcano” modeling to identify new catalyst candidates that do not require scarce metals.

Researchers at Tohoku University used the Digital Hydrogen Platform - which combines data from over five thousand meticulously curated experimental records - as a tool to guide materials design for hydrogen storage.

Untangling cosmic knots, Samurai jellyfish, Controlling rogue antibodies, Search for anti-ulcer vaccine & Metal-recovering yeast. Plus next SciCom coffee talk on experiences in science journalism in the AI era and WHO guide to reporting on non communicable diseases. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Researchers have developed an eco-friendly method to create gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using microalgae. This "green synthesis" avoids harsh chemicals, resulting in nanoparticles that are more stable than conventional ones. When activated by a laser, these AuNPs effectively destroy cancer cells while showing lower toxicity to healthy cells. This breakthrough promises a more sustainable and safer approach to photothermal cancer therapy and other applications in nanomedicine.

New molecular dynamics insights pave the way for stronger, lighter hybrid transportation materials

Researchers may have unlocked a more sustainable and affordable way for producing key ingredients for everyday materials such as plastics, clothing fibers, and insulation foams. The secret: lead dioxide.

Researchers at Tohoku University found that a certain catalyst tends towards different reaction mechanisms at high versus low temperatures. This finding can be used to tailor catalysts with more stability, which ultimately could lead to upgrades for electrochemical devices such as batteries.

Researchers at National Taiwan University have discovered how light, electricity, and tiny forces can work together to help wounds heal naturally and leave fewer scars, offering new hope for chronic wound care.

When you think about it, baran, those little plastic grass dividers found in bentos, save space by allowing bento makers to combine foods without mixing their flavors into a single bento box. Much like baran, researchers from Tohoku University have come up with a way to combine two chemical reactions inside a single electrolytic cell, thereby reducing waste and energy consumption associated with traditional chemical reactions.

The Yabu Laboratory at the Tohoku University Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) has recently demonstrated a novel strategy that yields a highly efficient electrocatalyst.

Researchers led by Prof. Kevin C.-W. Wu at National Taiwan University and Prof. Yusuke Yamauchi at Nagoya University have successfully developed a rapid and scalable evaporation-induced method to create continuous, uniform thin films of mesoporous amorphous metal-organic frameworks (aMOFs).

- Proposed the world’s first strategy to precisely control triboelectric polarity through polymer structure design, drawing attention to it as a next-generation energy-harvesting material. - Developed an ion-anchored polymer electrolyte that overcomes the limitations of conventional ionic liquids, achieving both output stability and controlled polarity. - Research findings published in Advanced Materials, a world-renowned journal in the field of material science.

- Research team led by DGIST Professor Hyukjun Kwon successfully covert the n-type of titanium oxide into the p-type with a laser-based integrated oxidation-doping process - This highly reliable, high-speed process is expected to be applicable to next-gen electronic devices

Research led by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has revealed how pressure can transform atomically thin bismuth from a semiconductor into a metal, opening a pathway to reconfigurable, ultra-thin electronics.

In the marine green alga Codium fragile, unusual carotenoids rapidly dissipate harmful chlorophyll triplet states, protecting the organism from light-induced damage. Using EPR spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations, the study revealed the structural and electronic principles behind this photoprotection, offering insights for potential bio-inspired solar technologies.

- New approach that overcomes the limitations of existing processes, improving both diffusion efficiency and magnetic performance - Combines spark plasma sintering with diffusion technology to achieve enhanced performance, with potential applications in electric vehicles, wind power generation, etc. - Published in Journal of Alloys and Compounds, a prestigious international journal in the field of materials science