Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
The degree of atomic ordering in magnetic nanoparticles decreases strongly with the particles' size. The origin of such a phenomenon has been determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and tomography, which shows how correct heat treatment can lead to atomic order also in very small nanoparticles.
At present, when intervertebral discs fail, the only existing treatments are fusion of neighbouring vertebrae or polymer and metal implants. A tissue-engineering approach using an electrospun-fibre laminated scaffold could provide functional equivalence with native tissues in both construction form and strength.
Hybrid materials based on block copolymers and nanoparticles are a promising class of nanocomposites. Tailoring the block copolymer properties by using supramolecular chemistry allows control of the particle spatial organization and resulting composite properties.
Artificial photosynthesis is an appealing strategy for producing sustainable fuels, if we can find the right materials to make it work efficiently. Scientists of all backgrounds are coming together to see if we can beat nature at her own game.
The concept of using magnetic micro- and nanoparticles for targeting solid tumours with drugs was first proposed over three decades ago, but has yet to translate into a clinical application. Rethinking the mechanistic approach could circumvent the difficulties that have stood in its way.
This review discusses glass and mineral dissolution in terms of traditional kinetic studies, and how nanometre-sized cluster oxide ions are now being used to gain mechanistic insight into the structural dynamics that take place during the dissolution process.
Nickel–manganese–gallium foams connected internally by sizeable single-crystalline elements provide magnetic-field-induced strains comparable to free-standing bulk single crystals, and demonstrate feasibility for the application of magnetic shape memory.
Friction measurements on carbon nanotubes show a remarkable anisotropy, the origin of which can be traced to the activation of specific deformation modes of energy dissipation.
Crystalline alloys often fall short in providing certain key properties desired for biomedical applications. But by using metallic glasses instead, problems such as hydrogen evolution can be dramatically reduced in biodegradable magnesium alloys.
Field-effect transistors, regardless of whether they use an organic or an inorganic semiconductor, require a gate dielectric with a large relative permittivity. A once-popular layered electrolyte may be just the right material for the job.
Further achievements in the realm of organic and molecular electronics — even at the level of device applications — requires greater understanding of the materials at a fundamental level. This insight can only come with input from researchers in several disciplines working together on the materials from different perspectives.
Cation binding is shown to trigger mesoscale domain formation within assembled mixtures of neutral and anionic polymer amphiphiles. The spotted and striped particles could be used for drug delivery or biomedical sensing.
Secondary electron imaging in electron microscopy can achieve resolutions that compete with transmission electron microscopy, and allows imaging of both surface and bulk atoms simultaneously.
Electron relaxation time in semiconductor quantum dots, for terahertz transition energies, can be slowed down to the nanosecond range — a very encouraging result for the development of quantum-dot-based quantum cascade lasers.
For more than 50 years, the International Conference on Magnetism series has been inspiring researchers in the field. At the latest meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany, the control exerted by nanostructured devices over magnetic properties was the centre of attention.
Control of the formation of nanostructures during their synthesis can be achieved using either equilibrium conditions, such as in nanostructure templating, or non-equilibrium conditions, such as in reaction–diffusion systems. This review analyses the different method types with the aim of producing guidelines for the rational design of hybrid organic–inorganic nanostructures.
