Materials

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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