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Soft solids consisting of two bicontinuous, immiscible solvents separated by a tortuous membrane of small solid particles have been predicted as novel reaction media. Experimental demonstration of these materials is possible by careful treatment of the particles' surfaces.
The vortex in a stirring solution of supramolecular fibres is shown to induce chirality in an originally achiral system. The chiral sense is reversible and can be switched by changing the direction of stirring.
Conventional metamaterials that show negative refraction suffer from high intrinsic losses and are difficult to fabricate. A novel anisotropic semiconducting metamaterial offers a solution.
Transition metal oxides show many interesting phenomena from high-Tc superconductivity to colossal magnetoresistance and multiferroicity, triggering intensive studies. However, we have barely tapped into their potential for applications.
Comparison of the vibrations of a quasicrystal with those of a conventional crystal opens the way to a better understanding of the consequences of aperiodicity on the properties of quasicrystals.
Spin-related phenomena are usually considered exclusively in relation to inorganic materials. A series of pioneering experiments challenges this picture and demonstrates that the integration of molecular and spin electronics is also possible.
Can atomistic simulations of fracture in some metals be wrong or misinterpreted? A seeming controversy between modelling and experiment is reconciled by a clever multiscale simulation technique bridging time- and length-scales.
Atomic force microscopy resolves a long-standing controversy in organic electronics by revealing the operating mechanism of light-emitting electrochemical cells.
The isolation of free-standing graphene sheets seems to contradict common belief about the existence of two-dimensional crystals. Monte Carlo simulations confirm that the sheets may be stabilized by the formation of finite-sized ripples.
The integration of spintronic elements with present-day electronic devices requires that a material with high spin polarization is matched with widely used semiconductors. The stabilization of europium oxide on silicon and gallium nitride is a clear leap forward in this direction.
Photonic crystal resonators present unique properties for confining light in volumes much smaller than the wavelength. The ultrafast dynamic change of these properties is an important step towards the complete control of light.
Research now shows that interaction with silicon carbide substrate leads to the opening of a semiconductor gap in epitaxial graphene. This is an important first step towards bandgap engineering in this two-dimensional crystal, and its incorporation in electronic devices.
A synthetic method of producing metal nanoparticles of chosen crystallinity can help us understand how crystal defects affect their physical and chemical properties.
A newly developed microdiffraction technique for solving the structure of very small single crystals hails a new era in the structural characterization of complex materials.
X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in ultrafast mode provides insight into spin relaxation in nickel on a femtosecond timescale, opening up new horizons for research into spin dynamics with the highest resolution.
Decorating a surface with a forest of microposts can either make it repel water or cause it to be sucked into the spaces between posts. In the latter case, the shape of a liquid on the surface can be controlled using simple design principles.
