This new carbon material could make carbon capture far more affordable
Stopping carbon dioxide (CO2) before it enters the atmosphere is a critical way to cut greenhouse gas emissions. While carbon capture has been around for many years, it has not…
Scientists create living building material that captures CO₂ from the air
The idea seems futuristic: At ETH Zurich, various disciplines are working together to combine conventional materials with bacteria, algae and fungi. The common goal: to create living materials that acquire…
‘Hopelessly attached’: Scientists discover new 2D material that sticks the landing
More than ten years ago, researchers at Rice University led by materials scientist Boris Yakobson predicted that boron atoms would cling too tightly to copper to form borophene, a flexible,…
How to get a robot collective to act like a smart material
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara and TU Dresden are blurring the lines between robotics and materials, with a proof-of-concept material-like collective of robots with behaviors inspired by biology. “We’ve figured…
New chainmail-like material could be the future of armor
In a remarkable feat of chemistry, a Northwestern University-led research team has developed the first two-dimensional (2D) mechanically interlocked material. Resembling the interlocking links in chainmail, the nanoscale material exhibits…
New nanocrystal material a key step toward faster, more energy-efficient computing
Scientists including an Oregon State University chemistry researcher have taken a key step toward next-generation optical computing and memory with the discovery of luminescent nanocrystals that can be quickly toggled…
Breakthrough new material brings affordable, sustainable future within grasp
While lithium-ion batteries have been the go-to technology for everything from smartphones and laptops to electric cars, there are growing concerns about the future because lithium is relatively scarce, expensive…
New battery cathode material could revolutionize EV market and energy storage
A multi-institutional research team led by Georgia Tech’s Hailong Chen has developed a new, low-cost cathode that could radically improve lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) — potentially transforming the electric vehicle (EV)…
New filtration material could remove long-lasting chemicals from water
Water contamination by the chemicals used in today’s technology is a rapidly growing problem globally. A recent studyby the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that 98 percent of people…
Organic material from Mars reveals the likely origin of life’s building blocks
Two samples from Mars together deliver the “smoking gun” in a new study showing the origin of Martian organic material. The study presents solid evidence for a prediction made over…