Bringing hidden optical imperfections to light
Tiny manufacturing imperfections in optical components normally go unnoticed. Yet they can alter light in surprisingly significant ways. An international research team led by TU D…
Detecting 'pressure anisotropy' using zirconia nanoparticles
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have discovered that the crystal structure of zirconia nanoparticles remains stable under uniform pressure applied from all directions but cha…
Spinons may help electrons pair along stripes in some superconductors
Superconductors are materials that carry electricity with zero resistance below specific temperatures. Many of these materials become superconducting at very low temperatures, yet…
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the surface chemistry of bio-based hybrid materials
Just a few atomic layers at the surface can strongly influence how effectively a material binds pollutants from water or how efficiently a photocatalyst responds to light. Researc…
Unconventional quantum materials could dramatically boost the search for dark matter
For decades, physicists have searched for dark matter, the invisible substance thought to make up roughly 85% of all matter in the universe. Although its gravitational influence s…
Molecular surface design achieves over 100 million-fold tuning of porous liquid viscosity
Porous liquids combine permanent nanoscale cavities with fluidity, making them promising for applications like carbon dioxide capture, gas separation and other chemical processes.…
Molecular antennae make light-activated molecular switches more sensitive
From targeted cancer treatments to self-healing materials and microscopic robots, many emerging technologies depend on molecules that can be controlled with light. Researchers at …
Terbium's elusive plus-4 form emerges under ordinary lab conditions, opening possibilities for rare-earth metals
Chemists in a new study led by the University of Iowa report they have isolated and described in detail an atypical state of the rare-earth metal terbium, an advance that could ex…
Electrochemical system extracts pure hydrogen from ammonia at substantially lower temperatures
As a liquid that is easily stored and transported, ammonia (NH3) is an attractive carrier for hydrogen, which is used in fuel cells, semiconductor manufacturing, chemical processi…
3D magnetic-field control reveals new way to tune spin textures
(Fe0.63Ni0.3Pd0.07)3P, or FNPP, is a magnetic material that exhibits complex magnetic structures even at room temperature. This makes the material of interest for spintronics, a f…
Five‑metal alloy: Scientists create ultra‑stable catalyst for fuel cells
Hydrogen-powered cars, power stations and portable chargers all rely on fuel cells. At the heart of each fuel cell is a catalyst that speeds up the reaction between hydrogen and o…
Tiny 2D cracks creep through materials before triggering sudden fracture, experiments reveal
We have all seen something suddenly break: a phone screen cracks, a plastic object snaps or a piece of glass shatters. To our eyes, the failure seems to happen all at once. But wh…
Layer-based design offers new route to topological magnets
Topological quantum materials combine unusual electronic states with properties such as magnetism or superconductivity, offering possibilities for future electronics and quantum t…
Physics-aware benchmark reveals why similar materials AI models can predict thermal conductivity differently
Material properties such as sound insulation, resistance to extreme heat and thermal expansion originate from how the zillions of microscopic building blocks (nuclei and electrons…
White is more than a color: How nature inspired a new sustainable way to make white, water-repellent materials
Look closely at Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa, one of Japan's most iconic masterpieces. The brilliant white of the waves, snow on Mount Fuji and clouds above contain no wh…
Could quantum protocols make electronic voting more secure?
Electronic voting, the use of electronic systems to cast, record or count votes, could potentially simplify the process of electing new political leaders or other representatives.…
Soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy of organic molecules in organic solvents for applying organic reactions
In research published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, the electronic structures of organic molecules containing sp2-hybridized carbons in organic solvents were…
Tiny molecular rings open new ways for designing better medicines
Cyclopropanes are organic chemistry's smallest rings. Three carbon atoms are joined in a triangle, creating a compact and unusually strained structure. Despite—or partly because o…
Why does microwaving fish smell so bad?
The work break room can be a place of rest, gossip, fun or recovery. But it can also be a cause for complaint when yesterday's fish dinner becomes a smelly microwaved lunch. For m…
Helium-3 lifts new quantum computing concept with faster tunneling rates
Helium—the lightest atom that can be laser-cooled and controlled—powers a new design for high-powered, stable quantum computers.
A crystalline sponge reveals structures of large 'beyond rule of 5' molecules
Drug discovery has traditionally followed the "rule of 5," which identifies chemical properties generally associated with good absorption of orally administered drugs, including a…
New way to harness copper makes antibiotic-resistant bacteria and cancer cells more vulnerable
University of Missouri researchers have discovered a new way to harness one of the body's natural defenses: copper. While copper is essential for life and helps power important bi…
A new game demonstrates quantum advantage with provable classical limits
For decades, physicists have worked to prove the strange predictions of quantum mechanics with real experiments. As quantum computers have grown more powerful, researchers have de…
Superfluid qubit could help scale up quantum computers
Superfluid helium could offer a new way to tackle one of the biggest challenges in scaling up quantum computers, say researchers from the University of Surrey. The research team h…