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Although computational methods are generating a bewildering number of hypothetical zeolite structures, the selection of candidates for synthesis remains problematic. The presence of a flexibility window in the structure may turn out to be a useful criterion.
Colloidal quantum dots are efficient nanoscopic light emitters with interesting applications from optoelectronics to biomedical imaging. Their polarizability has now been measured directly by probing the electronic response without electrical contacts.
A comprehensive theoretical basis for understanding electrowetting is now available. It shows that it is possible to effect drastic shape changes in electrolyte droplets immersed in another (immiscible) electrolyte.
Colossal magnetoresistance shot the manganites to fame but not fortune. The subsequent rollercoaster levels of interest mimic the free-energy landscapes used to interpret modern data.
Trial and error has been the traditional method of finding the best catalyst for a reaction. A computational approach can reduce the lab work required.
Fabricating nanostructures on a substrate often requires a choice between pattern complexity and narrow wire widths. By combining lithographic patterning with electrochemical templating, complex patterns over large areas with critical dimensions well below 100 nm become possible.
Hypersonic phononic crystals provide a wealth of opportunities to reflect, focus and localize high-frequency acoustic waves. Using colloidal crystals for this purpose provides opportunities for simplified fabrication and flexible tuning of the properties.
Since the 1940s DNA has been known as the genetic material connected to heredity, and from the early 1980s it has also been considered as a potential structural material for nanoscale construction. Now, a hydrogel made entirely of DNA brings this molecule into the realm of bulk materials.
New research results emerging from semiconductor physics and technology continue to surprise us. At a recent conference, it was nanoscale structures that captured particular attention.
Despite their huge commercial success, the physical reasons for the high luminescence efficiency of (In,Ga)N light-emitting diodes are poorly understood. New experiments provide direct evidence for the crucial role of local atomic configurations on the material's high brightness.
Mathematical modelling of materials' behaviour has become an indispensable tool that is urgently required for the development of the next generation of nuclear and fusion technology.
The morphology of semiconductor blends greatly affects their performance in solar cells. Advances in scanning probe potentiometry are making it possible to image directly the build up of charge after a cell is illuminated.
Choosing a porous solid for catalysis usually involves a trade-off between reactivity and mass-transport properties. Polycrystalline zeolite aggregates with adjustable mesoscopic pores make both available in one material.
The giant response of thermoelectric voltage to magnetic field in experiments on a model granular magnetic system is attributed to asymmetric spin-flip processes.
