Jan 25, 2026 Researchers have developed a new catalyst architecture that dramatically reduces the amount of expensive precious metals required while simultaneously improving hydrogen production and fuel-cell performance. (Nanowerk News) Catalysts are the “invisible engines” of hydrogen energy, governing both hydrogen production and electricity generation. Conventional catalysts are typically fabricated...
Scientists directly visualize the hidden spatial order of electrons in a quantum material?
Jan 25, 2026 Cryogenic 4D-STEM reveals how charge density waves form, fragment, and persist across a phase transition. (Nanowerk News) Electronic order in quantum materials often emerges not uniformly, but through subtle and complex patterns that vary from place to place. One prominent example is the charge density wave (CDW),...
Skin-inspired hydrogel enables self-powered strain sensing underwater and in extreme cold
Jan 25, 2026 A hydrogel engineered with cell-like particles mimicking skin tissue achieves 99.9% compressibility and ultralow energy loss while generating its own voltage to sense strain without batteries. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Hydrogels should be the ideal material for wearable sensors. These polymer networks, swollen with water to comprise up to...