Nanotechnology

Most people bring a blanket to the beach to soak up the sun — this “blanket” soaks up pollution instead. Researchers at Ohio State University have created a solar-activated “nanomat” that floats on water like a beach mat, but instead of providing comfort, it goes to work cleaning up harmful contaminants. The lightweight, reusable material…

Penn State and Université Paris-Saclay researchers report a new way to control light by embedding “nanodots” in ultra-thin, two-dimensional (2D) materials. The team says this precision could lead to higher-resolution screens and advances in quantum computing technologies. In a study published in ACS Photonics, the scientists demonstrated how these nanodots — tiny islands of a…

In the “Star Wars” universe, characters harness the power of light through iconic lightsabers. Here on Earth, researchers are tapping into a similarly transformative phenomenon, aiming to build technology that uses beams of light to perform ever-faster computing. A team co-led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), Columbia University, and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid…

When you take your dog for a walk, does he stop to sniff every tree trunk and patch of grass he sees, leaving you to wonder what smells so enticing? Scientists have also wondered, although not the trivial lawn fodder, what pups’ sensitive noses pick up to help detect drugs or disease. Lawrence Livermore National…

While smart home devices have expanded to include speakers, security systems, lights, and thermostats, their control has mostly been limited to a remote, an app, or voice commands. Users can interact with their phones or speak to the technology. Still, these methods are often less convenient than the simple switches they replace, significantly since devices…

Imec, a partner in EnergyVille, in collaboration with the University of Cyprus, has reported significant progress in the development of perovskite solar modules, demonstrating long-term outdoor stability after two years of real-world testing. Mini-modules measuring 4 cm² retained 78% of their initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) after one year in outdoor conditions in Cyprus. This…

Stretchable, wearable gadgets took a significant stride in 2024, thanks to a flurry of breakthroughs that could make soft, body-conformable electronics and power sources a reality. Researchers worldwide have unveiled improvements in flexible, high-precision sensors and displays, while engineers in China revealed a self-healing, stretchable lithium-ion battery that could power next-generation wearables. Meanwhile, LG Display…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded two grants to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) as part of a significant effort to advance microelectronics and sensors. Each project will receive $3 million per year for four years, recognizing PPPL’s expertise in plasma processes, which are crucial for the continued development of semiconductor manufacturing…

Researchers at Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea, have developed a mechanochromic strain sensor that indicates mechanical stress through changing colors — without needing an external power source. The device, described in a study published on October 15, 2024, in the journal Chemical Engineering Journal, uses magnetic nanoparticles and elastic materials to detect stretching, bending,…

In many respects, 2024 was a year of building upon the foundations laid by previous technological and scientific advances. While AI continued to evolve at a rapid clip, progress was in many ways more incremental than last year when GPT-4 redefined expectations for genAI. But AI continues to make definable improvements across a range of…

In the pursuit of sustainable energy, some inventors think big. Zhiyu (Jerry) Hu, Ph.D., thinks small — at the nanoscale. His work in thermoelectric devices is transforming how we understand and harvest energy, turning minute temperature differences into reliable power sources. For much of his life, Hu has found inspiration not just in fire but…

An analysis of 45 years of R&D 100 Awards reveals a clear leader: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), with more than two hundred winning products. National labs dominate the top ranks, demonstrating the staying power of consistent government investment in R&D. All of the top 10 organizations since 2010 are federally-backed entities. ORNL Frequently featured…

A new class of nanoscale materials that act like microscopic mood rings, changing color with temperature, could help measure temperature at the tiniest scales, with potential applications in electronics, biology, and beyond. Published in Advanced Materials, this research from scientists at the University of California, Irvine involves a one-dimensional nanoscale material known as indium selenium…

Peel apart a smartphone, fitness tracker, or virtual reality headset, and you’ll find a tiny motion sensor tracking its position and movement. Similar larger, more expensive versions exist that are about as big as a grapefruit and a thousand times more accurate. These devices aid GPS-assisted navigation in ships, airplanes, and other vehicles. Now imagine…

For six decades, the R&D 100 Awards have been a benchmark of achievement in science and technology, often referred to informally as “The Oscars of Innovation.” This year, we’re offering a new interactive experience, allowing you to explore the remarkable work of both winners and finalists across diverse fields. From advances in mechanical and material…

Imec, a research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, has announced significant progress in the development of 300 mm silicon-based quantum dot spin qubit processing. The devices demonstrated an average charge noise of 0.6 µeV/√Hz at 1 Hz, the lowest values achieved on a 300 mm fab-compatible platform to date. These results are…

From the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) Controllable assembly of functional nanoparticles into uniform monolayers over large surfaces for industrial mass production has been a long-standing problem, especially when the particle size goes below 100 nm. A team of researchers from South Korea recently proposed a nature-inspired solution. Their new “one-shot” self-limiting assembly…

Perovskite nanosheets show distinctive characteristics with significant applications in science and technology. In a recent study, researchers from Korea and the U.K. achieved enhanced signal amplification in CsPbBr3 perovskite nanosheets with a unique waveguide pattern, which enhanced both gain and thermal stability. These advancements carry wide-ranging implications for laser, sensor, and solar cell applications and…

This month, at the 2023 IEEE International Interconnect Technology Conference (2023 IEEE IITC), imec, a research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, provides the first experimental evidence that the resistivity of a thin conductor film on a 300 mm Si wafer can be lower than that of Cu and Ru, which are currently…

As technology progresses, devices are getting smaller, low-cost and more efficient. The advent of Internet of Things (IoT) has made researchers explore ways to make sensors more compact and portable. In a new study, researchers from Chung-Ang University, Korea have developed a device that is operable via breathing and can, therefore, be integrated into gas…

Nanocatalysts are catalysts made up of nanoparticles or some other nanostructure such as a nanofoam. A catalyst is a material which increases the rate of a chemical reaction, without itself being altered or changed by the reaction. Nanostructures are engineered structures with features at the nanoscale — between one and 100 nanometers. An obvious advantage…

Nanostructures are engineered structures with features at the nanoscale — between 1 and 100 nanometers. They include nanotextured surfaces, nanoparticles and nanotubes, as well as more complex nano-scale structures. A nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter, which is just slightly larger than the atomic scale — individual atoms in a solid are between…

Nanoparticles are engineered particles of between one and 100 nanometers in diameter, a size known as the nanoscale. To put this into context, a nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter, and the distance between individual atoms in a solid is between 0.1 nm and 0.4 nm. Nanoparticles therefore range in size from tens…

A Bristol-led team of physicists has found a way to operate mass manufacturable photonic sensors at the quantum limit. This breakthrough paves the way for practical applications such as monitoring greenhouse gases and cancer detection. Sensors are a constant feature of our everyday lives. Although they often go unperceived, sensors provide critical information essential to…

By Savanah Weed, University Relations Coordinator, Troy University Troy University professors continually make advancements in their respective fields, most recently with Dr. Raj Vinnakota’s acceptance of a $161,597 grant from the National Science Foundation to further research building a device that would allow for faster data recording and processing at the photon level. Faster speeds…