Chemistry and chemical engineering.
The buildup of static electricity on identical materials is driven by carbonaceous molecules stuck to their surfaces, a surprisingly complex process with implications for static discharge in everyday objects.
Researchers found that polymers called polyelectrolyte brushes can be used to make memory-like devices that mimic the behavior of synapses in the brain, which could lead to new low-power electronics.
Activated solids can spontaneously deform and soften in unexpected ways, which could impact how we design and use materials like plastics and rubbers.
A former lowly TV repairman became an expert in the obscure field of electromagnetic compatibility, showcasing how determination and self-education can lead to unexpected career success.
Researchers developed ultra-thin cerium fluoride nanoplatelets that can self-assemble in different ways depending on the solvent. This could lead to new nanomaterials with customizable properties for applications like catalysis.
Researchers found that studying how elastic waves propagate in soft materials can help model their complex mechanical behavior, which is useful for designing better rubber-like products.
Researchers developed a new way to efficiently analyze brain activity from EEG signals that works regardless of how the electrode sensors are arranged on the head. This could lead to better tools for monitoring brain health and function.
Researchers developed a machine learning model to better predict gas-surface interactions, which could improve simulations of catalysis and other surface chemistry processes.
Researchers are getting closer to understanding the science behind static electricity, which could have practical implications for everyday life, though key mysteries remain.
A new recycling method can convert used plastic bottles into high-quality raw materials and clean hydrogen fuel, potentially reducing waste and providing a sustainable source of materials.
Researchers have developed a new recycling method that can convert waste plastic bottles into high-quality raw materials and clean hydrogen fuel, reducing plastic waste and providing a sustainable energy source.
Scientists have engineered an enzyme that can quickly break down PET plastic, the material in water bottles and polyester clothing, making textile recycling more efficient.
Scientists developed an enzyme that can break down the plastic used in polyester clothing and packaging much faster, potentially making textile recycling more efficient.
Researchers found that cavitation, a precursor to failure in adhesive materials, can be modeled as an elastic instability. This advance could help improve the design and performance of adhesives used in products like tires or construction.
Researchers explored an advanced 8-shaft weaving technique, which could enable new types of materials and products with unique properties. This breakthrough could lead to innovations in fields like clothing, aerospace, and construction.
Researchers developed a machine learning model that can design better materials for electronics like sensors, even when data is limited. This could lead to smaller, flexible electronics that work well in real-world conditions.
Researchers found that tweaking the molecular architecture of soft, squishy polymers could allow them to self-assemble into exotic quasicrystal structures, which could lead to new materials with unique properties for applications like nanotech.
Researchers designed flexible, tendon-actuated robots using a tapered polymer backbone, which could enable more natural and agile robot movements for tasks like surgery or search and rescue.
Researchers have discovered stable soap bubble clusters with unusual torus (donut-shaped) bubbles, providing new insights into the physics of soap film structures that could lead to improved bubble-based materials.
Researchers found that the way long polymer chains in 2D avoid twisting and turning is surprisingly important, offering new insights into the behavior of these materials that are used in many products.
Researchers found a new chemical process that can directly convert common alkenes into more valuable alkynes, potentially enabling more efficient production of materials and fuels.
Activated solids can spontaneously deform and soften in unexpected ways, which could impact how we design and use materials like plastics and rubbers.
Researchers developed a new battery design that can store energy without a traditional anode. This could lead to safer, lighter, and more energy-dense batteries for electric vehicles and portable electronics.
Researchers developed an improved way to make tiny light-emitting crystals that could lead to brighter, more efficient displays and lighting.
Researchers have developed a new device that helps perovskite solar cells work better in shaded conditions, improving their reliability and making them more practical for wider use.
Researchers found that studying how elastic waves propagate in soft materials can help model their complex mechanical behavior, which is useful for designing better rubber-like products.
Researchers developed a machine learning model to better predict gas-surface interactions, which could improve simulations of catalysis and other surface chemistry processes.
Researchers studied how confined fluids like colloids (tiny particles suspended in liquid) behave under compression, which has implications for industrial processes like filtration and oil extraction.
New nanotechnology allows studying liquid interfaces without touching them, which could help develop better materials and coatings.
Integrated memristors could help improve the reliability of perovskite solar cells by protecting them from damage caused by partial shading.
Researchers found that cavitation, a precursor to failure in adhesive materials, can be modeled as an elastic instability. This advance could help improve the design and performance of adhesives used in products like tires or construction.
Resetting a particle in a viscoelastic material, like a polymer, leaves a "memory" in the material that affects future dynamics. This could help design new materials with tunable memory and viscoelastic properties.
Active filaments that can bend in one direction but not the other could lead to better soft robots and mechanical devices that adapt to their environment.
Scientists have discovered a new way to directly convert alkenes (molecules with carbon-carbon double bonds) into alkynes (molecules with carbon-carbon triple bonds). This could enable more efficient and environmentally-friendly chemical synthesis.
Adventitious carbon breaks the symmetry in how oxides exchange charge when touched, important for contact-powered electronics and batteries. This could lead to more efficient and responsive charge storage devices.
Researchers analyzed the energy required for bubbles to form on catalyst surfaces, which is important for improving the efficiency of devices like electrolyzers that rely on controlled bubble formation.
Local composition controls pattern formation in conserved active emulsions, allowing for more control over the structure and behavior of soft materials like biological cells.
Researchers found a new way to map the complex phase behavior of soft materials like colloids, which could make it easier to design and control the properties of these materials. This could lead to better manufacturing of products made from soft materials.
Planar lithium metal deposition could enable practical anode-free batteries, which would be lighter and have higher energy density than current lithium-ion batteries.