Anna Ploszajski: crafting to better understand material science – podcast
Material science allows us to understand the objects around us mathematically, but there is no formula to describe the sophistication of a handcrafted teacup. Dr Anna Ploszajski is a materials scientist who has travelled all over the UK, meeting makers to better understand her craft and theirs. She spoke to Shivani Dave about what she discovered and documented in her new book, Handmade.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - June 8, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Produced and presented by Shivani Dave Tags: Materials science Chemistry Physics Source Type: news
The biodegradable battery
(Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA)) The number of data-transmitting microdevices, for instance in packaging and transport logistics, will increase sharply in the coming years. All these devices need energy, but the amount of batteries would have a major impact on the environment. Empa researchers have developed a biodegradable mini-capacitor that can solve the problem. It consists of carbon, cellulose, glycerin and table salt. And it works reliably. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - June 3, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Lehigh Engineering PhD students earn prestigious STEM research fellowships from NSF, DoD
(Lehigh University) Mari-Therese Burton (materials science and engineering) and Nicole Malofsky (bioengineering), PhD students in Lehigh University's P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, have been selected for prestigious national STEM research fellowships. Malofsky (advised by assistant professor Lesley Chow) will receive support through the NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program to attend Vanderbilt University. Burton (advised by professor Martin Harmer) will continue PhD studies at Lehigh as a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - May 24, 2021 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Rising energy demand for cooling
(Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA)) Climate-related temperature rises will further increase the cooling demand of buildings. A projection by Empa researchers based on data from the NEST building and future climate scenarios for Switzerland shows that this increase in energy demand for cooling is likely to be substantial and could have a strong impact on our future - electrified - energy system. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - May 18, 2021 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Not cricket? Scientists suggest bamboo bats are a match for willow
Researchers create bat with similar performance from what they say is cheap and sustainable materialCricket has been bowled a googly by scientists who have suggested the traditional willow used to make bats could be replaced by bamboo to increase their sustainability and boost the sport ’s reach.“Willow has been the principal material for cricket bats for centuries,” said Dr Darshil Shah at the University of Cambridge, who co-authored the study.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - May 9, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Nicola Davis Science correspondent Tags: Materials science Cricket Sport UK news Environment Source Type: news
Tiny plastic particles in the environment
(Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA)) Giant vortices of floating plastic trash in the world's oceans with sometimes devastating consequences for their inhabitants - the sobering legacy of our modern lifestyle. Weathering and degradation processes produce countless tiny particles that can now be detected in virtually all ecosystems. But how dangerous are the smallest of them, so-called nanoplastics? (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - May 4, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Fighting harmful bacteria with nanoparticles
(Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA)) Multi-resistant pathogens are a serious and increasing problem in today's medicine. Where antibiotics are ineffective, these bacteria can cause life-threatening infections. Researchers at Empa and ETH Zurich are currently developing nanoparticles that can be used to detect and kill multi-resistant pathogens that hide inside our body cells. The team published the study in the current issue of the journal Nanoscale. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - April 22, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Materials challenges and opportunities for quantum computing hardware
Quantum computing hardware technologies have advanced during the past two decades, with the goal of building systems that can solve problems that are intractable on classical computers. The ability to realize large-scale systems depends on major advances in materials science, materials engineering, and new fabrication techniques. We identify key materials challenges that currently limit progress in five quantum computing hardware platforms, propose how to tackle these problems, and discuss some new areas for exploration. Addressing these materials challenges will require scientists and engineers to work together to create ...
Source: ScienceNOW - April 15, 2021 Category: Science Authors: de Leon, N. P., Itoh, K. M., Kim, D., Mehta, K. K., Northup, T. E., Paik, H., Palmer, B. S., Samarth, N., Sangtawesin, S., Steuerman, D. W. Tags: Materials Science, Online Only review Source Type: news
Nematicity and competing orders in superconducting magic-angle graphene
We report on the identification of intertwined phases with broken rotational symmetry in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). Using transverse resistance measurements, we find a strongly anisotropic phase located in a "wedge" above the underdoped region of the superconducting dome. Upon its crossing with the superconducting dome, a reduction of the critical temperature is observed. Furthermore, the superconducting state exhibits an anisotropic response to a direction-dependent in-plane magnetic field, revealing nematic ordering across the entire superconducting dome. These results indicate that nematic fluctuations ...
Source: ScienceNOW - April 15, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Cao, Y., Rodan-Legrain, D., Park, J. M., Yuan, N. F. Q., Watanabe, K., Taniguchi, T., Fernandes, R. M., Fu, L., Jarillo-Herrero, P. Tags: Materials Science, Physics r-articles Source Type: news
Combatting noise on the platform
(Source: ScienceNOW)
Source: ScienceNOW - April 15, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Szuromi, P. Tags: Materials Science twis Source Type: news
Twisted and nematic
(Source: ScienceNOW)
Source: ScienceNOW - April 15, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Stajic, J. Tags: Materials Science, Physics twis Source Type: news
High-throughput injection molding of transparent fused silica glass
We present a process for glassworks using high-throughput IM of an amorphous silicon dioxide nanocomposite that combines established process technologies and low-energy sintering. We produce highly transparent glass using classical IM and sintering, allowing for a potentially substantial reduction in energy consumption. Our strategy merges polymer and glass processing, with substantial implications for glass utilization. (Source: ScienceNOW)
Source: ScienceNOW - April 8, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Mader, M., Schlatter, O., Heck, B., Warmbold, A., Dorn, A., Zappe, H., Risch, P., Helmer, D., Kotz, F., Rapp, B. E. Tags: Engineering, Materials Science reports Source Type: news
Gate-controlled BCS-BEC crossover in a two-dimensional superconductor
We report crossover behavior from the BCS limit to the BEC limit realized by varying carrier density in a two-dimensional superconductor, electron-doped zirconium nitride chloride. The phase diagram, established by simultaneous measurements of resistivity and tunneling spectra under ionic gating, demonstrates a pseudogap phase in the low-doping regime. The ratio of the superconducting transition temperature and Fermi temperature in the low–carrier density limit is consistent with the theoretical upper bound expected in the BCS-BEC crossover regime. These results indicate that the gate-doped semiconductor provide...
Source: ScienceNOW - April 8, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Nakagawa, Y., Kasahara, Y., Nomoto, T., Arita, R., Nojima, T., Iwasa, Y. Tags: Materials Science, Physics reports Source Type: news
Seeded 2D epitaxy of large-area single-crystal films of the van der Waals semiconductor 2H MoTe2
We report a route for synthesizing wafer-scale single-crystalline 2H molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) semiconductors on an amorphous insulating substrate. In-plane 2D-epitaxy growth by tellurizing was triggered from a deliberately implanted single seed crystal. The resulting single-crystalline film completely covered a 2.5-centimeter wafer with excellent uniformity. The 2H MoTe2 2D single-crystalline film can use itself as a template for further rapid epitaxy in a vertical manner. Transistor arrays fabricated with the as-prepared 2H MoTe2 single crystals exhibited high electrical performance, with excellent uniformity and 10...
Source: ScienceNOW - April 8, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Xu, X., Pan, Y., Liu, S., Han, B., Gu, P., Li, S., Xu, W., Peng, Y., Han, Z., Chen, J., Gao, P., Ye, Y. Tags: Materials Science reports Source Type: news
A van der Waals interface that creates in-plane polarization and a spontaneous photovoltaic effect
Van der Waals interfaces can be formed by layer stacking without regard to lattice constants or symmetries of individual building blocks. We engineered the symmetry of a van der Waals interface of tungsten selenide and black phosphorus and realized in-plane electronic polarization that led to the emergence of a spontaneous photovoltaic effect. Spontaneous photocurrent was observed along the polar direction and was absent in the direction perpendicular to it. The observed spontaneous photocurrent was explained by a quantum-mechanical shift current that reflects the geometrical and topological electronic nature of this emerg...
Source: ScienceNOW - April 1, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Akamatsu, T., Ideue, T., Zhou, L., Dong, Y., Kitamura, S., Yoshii, M., Yang, D., Onga, M., Nakagawa, Y., Watanabe, K., Taniguchi, T., Laurienzo, J., Huang, J., Ye, Z., Morimoto, T., Yuan, H., Iwasa, Y. Tags: Materials Science, Physics reports Source Type: news
