Creating 2D heterostructures for future electronics
New research integrates nanomaterials into heterostructures, an important step toward creating nanoelectronics.
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Nanoscale manipulation of light leads to exciting new advancement
Controlling the interactions between light and matter has been a long-standing ambition for scientists seeking to develop and advance numerous technologies that are fundamental to society. With the boom of nanotechnology in recent years, the nanoscale manipulation of light has become both, a promising pathway to continue this advancement, as well as a unique challenge due to new behaviors that appear when the dimensions of structures become comparable to the wavelength of light.
Read more'Electroadhesive' stamp picks up and puts down microscopic structures
New technique could enable assembly of circuit boards and displays with more minute components.
Read morePhysics: DNA-PAINT super-resolution microscopy at speed
Recent advances in fluorescence microscopy allow researchers to study biological processes below the classical diffraction limit of light. Researchers have now developed DNA-PAINT, a variant of these so-called super-resolution approaches.
Read moreIntelligent, shape-morphing, self-healing material for soft robotics
Advances in the fields of soft robotics, wearable technologies, and human/machine interfaces require a new class of stretchable materials that can change shape adaptively while relying only on portable electronics for power. Researchers have developed such a material that exhibits a unique combination of high electrical and thermal conductivity with actuation capabilities that are unlike any other soft composite.
Read moreExplained: The lifetime of an evaporating liquid drop
The lifespan of a liquid droplet which is transforming into vapour can now be predicted thanks to a new theory. The new understanding can now be exploited in a myriad of natural and industrial settings where the lifetime of liquid drops governs a process' behavior and efficiency.
Read moreNanostructures help to reduce the adhesion of bacteria
Scientists has shown how bacteria adhere to rough surfaces at the microscopic level. The team has discovered that precise analysis of the topographical composition of nanostructured surfaces provides a direct means of deriving the adhesive forces that bind bacteria to the surface. This discovery has opened up promising new avenues of research, including ways of combating the bacteria that are so hazardous in clinical environments.
Read moreWatching energy transport through biomimetic nanotubes
Scientists have investigated a simple biomimetic light-harvesting system using advanced spectroscopy combined with a microfluidic platform. The double-walled nanotubes work very efficiently at low light intensities, while they are able to get rid of excess energy at high intensities. These properties are useful in the design of novel materials for the harvesting and transport of photon energy.
Read moreVolleyball: The secret to sneaky float serves
A team of researchers performed wind tunnel experiments to determine the role of asymmetry caused by the orientation of a volleyball on its aerodynamic characteristics. They found that switching from the standard panel arrangement to a hexagonal or dimpled pattern may improve the consistency of flight, with many potential applications in aviation.
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