Materials

- Introducing “magnetic properties” into platinum-based alloys, dramatically improving oxygen reduction reaction performance and durability - Exceeding the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 targets–expected to contribute to the commercialization of next-generation eco-friendly hydrogen energy

In 2022, Bangladeshi architecture firm Sthapotik designed a mausoleum for the influential 20th-century Uwaisi pir (saint), Shah Muhammad Mohshin Khan. Located in Manikganj, approximately 54 kilometres from Dhaka, this building stands out as a most unconventional interpretation of the traditional dargah, or Sufi tomb.

Modified yeast developed to efficiently adsorb targeted elements from solutions

Researchers from the Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering at National Taiwan University have developed a multifunctional hydrogel sensor for detecting formaldehyde.

The precise placement of a single silver atom can be enough to make a huge difference. Researchers found that light-emitting properties were 77 times more efficient as a result – paving the way for better optoelectronics and sensing technologies such as OLED lights.

Researchers at Tohoku University have made a magnesium battery prototype that represents the potential next stage in energy storage - a fast-charging battery made from sustainable materials.

Tohoku University researchers dispel the “plasma effect” myth in spark plasma sintering, showing that both SPS and hot pressing achieve equally effective, rapid densification of LLZO solid electrolytes.

Researchers have developed a method to produce strong, biodegradable plastic from bamboo.

Ancient black holes, How good cholesterol is made, Self-healing plastic, Dengue’s genetic imprint, Korean mussel power & Space clean-up. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Researchers from China engineered a system that captures carbon dioxide from seawater and converts it into biodegradable plastic precursors at high efficiency and low energy consumption.

With so many environmental issues arising, how can we even begin trying to solve them all? Perhaps, we can start by asking AI. This study highlights how AI can pinpoint viable action plans for these issues.

Producing ammonia – a valuable chemical compound used in many fields – takes enormous amounts of energy. Researchers at Tohoku University have found a more efficient option that converts harmful pollutants in water to ammonia.

Chimeric, half-human, half-animal figures of stone guard the doorways of many historic and contemporary temples across the world. Read more about these powerful entities and how they were crucial to the evolution of Hindu and Buddhist practices in southern India.

Element-selective atomic-scale observations of the magnetovolume effect in ferromagnetic Fe-Ni fcc-based alloys

Lithium batteries are widely used in electric vehicles and electronic products, but concerns are growing about their environmental impact during mining and disposal. Scholars from Lingnan University’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies and their collaborators have published a pioneering study online in top-tier, peer-reviewed, scientific journal Advanced Energy Materials. The study introduces a novel “anode-free sodium battery” that, by tuning the salt concentration in the electrolyte, reduces the risks of short circuits and shortened lifespan during fast charging. Laboratory tests have demonstrated that this new type of battery can be charged within minutes while maintaining safety and stability.

【Intriguing behavior of such electrons in particular materials produced by chemical synthesis】 Unpaired electrons located at linear band dispersion (LBD) are exceptional and called Dirac electrons (DE). They are paid attention to because of the unique electronic properties such as temperature (T)-independent resistivity, as if they belong to neither metallic nor non-metallic substances. In this study, we have developed a series of new organic Dirac electron systems and discovered universal features of magnetic behavior originating from LBD.

This promising new catalyst can speed up the oxygen evolution reaction to create clean energy.

- Achieved high-resolution quantum dot displays using photo-reactive materials and analyzed performance variations depending on the material - Developed a photoresist-free quantum dot patterning technique using a diazirine-based crosslinker - Research findings published in Nano Letters and ACS Nano

- Development of a highly stretchable color conversion layer through direct cross-linking between eco-friendly quantum dots and stretchable polymers - Research findings published in Advanced Materials, a top-tier international journal in the field of materials science

Aqueous batteries, which use water-based solutions as an electrolyte, have been around since the 1860s. They are safe, efficient, and cheap. But many electrode materials do not perform well in aqueous electrolytes. Organic redox polymers are no different. To overcome this, a group of researchers has unveiled a new organic redox polymer that addresses its hydrophobicity.

Self-healing hydrogel, Cool crawler, AI and world's longest crop experiment & Freeze-framing cells. Plus how media interest helps engineers and society. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

Researchers at Tohoku University have applied explainable machine learning to identify key factors for nickel-based catalysts that improve CO₂ methanation. The findings show how data-driven methods can guide catalyst design and support progress toward carbon recycling and sustainable energy.

To reduce plastic pollution and promote environmental sustainability, scholars from the Lingnan University School of Interdisciplinary Studies and their research team have developed a successful new eco-friendly bioplastic material. Unlike conventional plastics, it degrades naturally into harmless water and carbon dioxide in as little as 29 days under ambient conditions, and is a practical way to mitigate global plastic pollution. Their study, “Sustainable DNA-polysaccharide hydrogels as recyclable bioplastics”, was recently published in the respected journal Nature Communications.

Researchers from Tohoku University, NIMS, and JAEA have demonstrated for the first time the technological advantages of antiferromagnets. Their study, published in Science, shows that antiferromagnets enable faster, more efficient memory operations than conventional ferromagnets.

This new crystal growth technology uses tungsten to create single crystals that can stand extreme temperatures - a new achievement in the field.

Researchers at Tohoku University have unified experimental and computational data into one valuable resource: a map that instantly guides scientists to suitable materials out of countless candidates.

The research team directed by H. Shimomoto and E. Ihara in Ehime University succeeded in preparing a new type of carbon-carbon main chain polymers, in which cyclic repeating units are densely incorporated around the carbon-based main chain. In addition, the team demonstrated the unique thermal behavior of the obtained polymers, compared to the corresponding polymers without cyclic structures. This achievement will contribute to the development of new functional polymer materials.

- Professor Youngu Lee’s team at DGIST develops a new hole transport layer material that dramatically enhances the efficiency and stability of QLED displays. - Using a high-binding-energy organic hole transport layer material, the team achieves 25.7% external quantum efficiency and improves device lifetime by 66 times.

Researchers at Tohoku University have created a new catalyst that can partly renew itself while working, opening possibilities for more durable materials in energy and chemical applications.

Recent research on fullerene’s role as a metal-free catalyst may redefine our understanding of how carbon nanomaterials can be used in clean energy technologies.