Dec 23, 2025 Researchers develop universal, nondestructive photolithography method for quantum dot patterning for high-resolution next-generation displays. (Nanowerk News) Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as promising materials for next-generation displays due to their tunable emission, high brightness, and compatibility with low-cost solution processing. However, a major challenge is, achieving...
Molecular switch catalyst toggles green hydrogen function by assembly
Dec 23, 2025 Molecular vanadium cluster on carbon nanotubes switches between oxygen and hydrogen production in acid, depending on assembly, offering a path beyond iridium and platinum. (Nanowerk News) Hydrogen production through water electrolysis is a cornerstone of the clean energy transition, but it relies on efficient and stable catalysts...
Ultracold atoms climbing a quantum staircase
Dec 24, 2025 New discovery unlocks real-time insight into quantum behavior, paving way for advanced sensing and quantum technologies. (Nanowerk News) For the first time, scientists have observed the iconic Shapiro steps, a staircase-like quantum effect, in ultracold atoms. In this experiment, an alternating current was applied to a Josephson...
Safer longer lasting carbon batteries from redesigned fullerene linkages
Dec 24, 2025 Researchers created a covalently bridged fullerene framework, which shows that carbon can store lithium in a completely different and much more stable way, avoiding structural collapse and preventing the loss of active material that has long hindered fullerene anodes. (Nanowerk News) This research demonstrates a new way...
An AI-based blueprint for designing catalysts across materials
Dec 24, 2025 Hydrogen peroxide is widely used but energy-intensive to produce. A new machine-learning framework helps find catalysts that can make it from water and electricity, and identifies one with about 90% efficiency. (Nanowerk News) Hydrogen peroxide is widely used in everyday life, from disinfectants and medical sterilization to...
Dissolving implant uses ultrathin gold heaters to silence pain without drugs
Dec 24, 2025 A flexible neural implant with nanoscale heating elements blocks pain through precise temperature control, draws power wirelessly, and dissolves in the body within weeks. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Opioids remain the most effective pharmacological option for severe pain, but they exact a devastating toll. These drugs hijack the brain's...
Two atomic layers of platinum deliver a fuel cell catalyst sweet spot
Dec 24, 2025 A precise synthesis tunes platinum skin thickness on PtCu nanospheres and shows two atomic layers give the best oxygen reduction performance and durability. (Nanowerk News) Fuel cells still depend on platinum to speed up the oxygen reduction reaction, or ORR, a notoriously slow step that drags down...
Hubble reveals largest found chaotic birthplace of planets (w/video)
Dec 24, 2025 Hubble identified the largest known protoplanetary disk, revealing a turbulent, chaotic environment with material extending above and below the disk, offering new insight into planet formation. (Nanowerk News) Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have imaged the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a young star. For...
Advanced bioimaging tracks the full journey of invisible nanoscale contaminants in living systems
Dec 24, 2025 Nanoscale pollutants enter bodies and ecosystems unseen. New bioimaging methods can trace where they go, revealing how they interact with tissues and affect health. (Nanowerk News) Invisible pollutants at the nanoscale are quietly entering bodies and ecosystems, yet standard toxicology tools still treat living organisms like a...
Make foams recyclable via break points
Dec 24, 2025 Most furniture foam is burned because recycling is hard. New 'breakomer' monomers add built-in breaking points, enabling mild chemical recycling and scale-up. (Nanowerk News) Beds, sofas and armchairs are everywhere – but what happens to their mattresses and upholstery at the end of their life is usually...