[Image above] Credit: ACerS
NANOMATERIALS
A smoother way to study ‘twistronics’
Researchers led by Harvard University developed a fingernail-sized machine that can twist thin materials at will, replacing the need to fabricate twisted devices one by one. Now both twist angle and electron density can be easily controlled in 2D materials, which supports the discovery of new phases of matter.
ENERGY
Green hydrogen: MXenes shows talent as catalyst for oxygen evolution
Researchers led by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin demonstrated that properly functionalized MXenes are excellent catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in electrolytic water splitting. They are now extensively characterizing these MXene catalysts at the Berlin X-ray source BESSY II and Soleil Synchrotron in France.
Structural battery paves way for light, energy-efficient vehicles
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden created a battery made of a carbon fiber composite that is as stiff as aluminum and has enough energy density to be used commercially.
Discovery could lead to longer-lasting EV batteries
An international team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder showed that hydrogen molecules in a lithium-ion battery’s electrolyte will move to the cathode and take spots that lithium ions normally bind to, leaving fewer spots for the lithium ions. This reduction in binding spots weakens the electric current and decreases the battery’s capacity.
New catalyst extends fuel cell lifetime
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles developed an ultrafine platinum nanocatalyst embedded with cobalt oxide clusters, which has been shown to reduce platinum dissolution and significantly increase fuel cell efficiency and durability.
ENVIRONMENT
Insights into carbon dioxide absorption using cement-based materials
Researchers led by Chiba University conducted a comprehensive investigation of the carbonation reaction in cement-based materials using a new method, revealing the role of structural changes and water transport. Their analysis method involved using 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 1H NMR relaxometry.
MANUFACTURING
Bake, melt, or ignite: How synthesis methods profoundly impact disordered materials
University of British Columbia researchers showed how different synthesis methods can profoundly impact the structure and function of high-entropy oxides.
Innovative AM method to simplify manufacturing process of cellular ceramic
Researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology developed an innovative additive manufacturing method that significantly simplifies and accelerates the production of geometrically complex cellular ceramics. The method relies on a surface-tension-assisted two-step processing strategy.
Researchers discover new way to make ‘atomic lasagna’
Researchers led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory discovered a method to transform nitrides with 3D atomic structures into stable, layered thin films. The key to solving this mystery was an elemental order hidden on the very short atomic length scale in the otherwise disordered metastable materials.
Tougher concrete, inspired by bone
Inspired by the architecture of human bone’s tough outer layer, Princeton University engineers developed a cement-based material that is 5.6 times more damage-resistant than standard counterparts.
OTHER STORIES
Membrane aids lithium extraction from salt lakes
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a carbon nitride membrane that reportedly outperforms traditional polymer membranes when separating lithium ions from magnesium ions in salt-lake brine.
Improved hydrogen ion barrier films using pore-free graphene oxide membranes
Researchers from Kumamoto University and Hiroshima University developed hydrogen ion barrier films using graphene oxide without internal pores. This development could be beneficial as a protective coating for various applications.
New computer simulations help scientists advance energy-efficient microelectronics
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers developed an open-source, 3D simulation framework called FerroX to gain an atomistic understanding of the origins of negative capacitance.
Unprecedented spin properties revealed in new artificial materials
Researchers in Spain stacked two layers of graphene and tungsten selenide and found that if the two layers are rotated at a precise angle, a spin current is generated in a desired specific direction.
Third São Carlos School on Glasses and Glass-ceramics offering 30 student grants
The São Carlos Center for Research, Technology, and Education in Vitreous Materials is organizing the third São Carlos School on Glasses and Glass-ceramics from March 10–15, 2025, in São Carlos, Brazil. The school has no registration fee and offers a limited number of 30 student grants.