http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/chemistry/ Chemistry news. Read chemistry articles from research institutes around the world -- organic and inorganic chemistry -- including new techniques and inventions. en-us Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:05:01 EST Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/chemistry/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133709.htm Researchers in California report that they have significantly enhanced polymer solar cells' performance by building a device with a new "tandem" structure that combines multiple cells with different absorption bands. The device had a certified power-conversion efficiency of 8.62 percent and set a world record in July 2011. After the researchers incorporated a new infrared-absorbing polymer material into the device, the device's architecture proved to be widely applicable and the power-conversion efficiency jumped to 10.6 percent -- a new record -- as certified by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133709.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133451.htm Swiss scientists have created a minor sensation in synthetic chemistry. The team of scientists succeeded for the first time in producing regularly ordered planar polymers that form a kind of 'molecular carpet' on a nanometer scale. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213083854.htm At ETH Zurich in 1920, the chemist Hermann Staudinger postulated the existence of macromolecules consisting of many identical modules strung together like a chain. For this he was initially rewarded with mockery and incomprehension in professional circles. But Staudinger was to be proven right: today the macromolecules described as polymers are known as plastics, and by 1950 one kilogram of them was already being produced per capita worldwide. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213083854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192557.htm Researchers have developed methodology, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to examine batteries without destroying them. Their technique creates the possibility of improving battery performance and safety by serving as a diagnostic of its internal workings. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095349.htm Using high-powered lasers, scientists have discovered that molten magnesium silicate undergoes a phase change in the liquid state, abruptly transforming to a more dense liquid with increasing pressure. The research provides insight into planet formation. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210110514.htm Catalytic materials, which lower the energy barriers for chemical reactions, are used in everything from the commercial production of chemicals to catalytic converters in car engines. However, with current catalytic materials becoming increasingly expensive, scientists are exploring viable alternatives. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210110514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172916.htm Microscopic channels of gold nanoparticles have the ability to transmit electromagnetic energy that starts as light and propagates via "dark plasmons," according to researchers. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172916.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209152810.htm A technique for creating a new molecule that structurally and chemically replicates the active part of the molybdenite catalyst paves the way for developing catalytic materials that can serve as effective low-cost alternatives to platinum for generating hydrogen gas from water. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209152810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209143920.htm Researchers have created a new, “green” method for developing medicines. The researchers used energy from a light bulb to create an organic molecule that may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209143920.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135341.htm Researchers have developed a new nanotechnology platform for the development of molecule-based electronic components using the wonder material graphene. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132844.htm Scientists have gathered new insight into the performance of a material called a zeolite that may filter carbon dioxide far more efficiently than current industrial "scrubbers" do. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132723.htm Individual cells modified to act as sensors using fluorescence are already useful tools in biochemistry, but now they can add good timing to their resume. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132713.htm Scientists are reporting development of a new form of buckypaper, which eliminates a major drawback of these sheets of carbon nanotubes -- 50,000 times thinner than a human hair, 10 times lighter than steel, but up to 250 times stronger -- with potential uses ranging from body armor to next-generation batteries. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132713.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132601.htm Scientists have developed a new kind of tiny motor -- which they term a "microrocket" -- that can propel itself through acidic environments, such as the human stomach, without any external energy source, opening the way to a variety of medical and industrial applications. Their report describes the microrockets traveling at virtual warp speed for such devices. A human moving at the same speed would have to run at a clip of 400 miles per hour. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208102737.htm In research to develop a novel, eco-friendly filter to remove toxic gases from the air, scientists found that a material made from used coffee grounds can sop up hydrogen sulfide gas, the chemical that makes raw sewage stinky. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208102737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202803.htm Scientists have developed a "biological computer" made entirely from biomolecules that is capable of deciphering images encrypted on DNA chips. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133746.htm Just like in the Russian wooden toy, a hull of 12 copper atoms encases a single tin atom. This hull is, in turn, enveloped by 20 further tin atoms. Scientists have now generated these spatial structures built up in three layers as isolated metal clusters in alloys. With their large surfaces these structures can serve as highly efficient catalysts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122628.htm Scientists studied the movements of a spherical probe amongst static nanorods. They found that the particles sometimes diffused faster in a nematic environment than in a disordered environment. That is, the channels left open between the ordered nanorods don't just steer nanoparticles along a direction, they also enable them to speed right through. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163752.htm For the first time, researchers have developed crystalline materials that allow an optical fiber to have integrated, high-speed electronic functions. The potential applications of such optical fibers include improved telecommunications and other hybrid optical and electronic technologies, improved laser technology, and more-accurate remote-sensing devices. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151604.htm Geophysics researchers have created a new way to study fractures by producing elastic waves, or vibrations, through using high-intensity light focused directly on the fracture itself. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181455.htm Incandescent light bulbs are energy hogs, but many people prefer them for the cozy quality of light they emit. Scientists in Germany have set out to build energy efficient organic LED (OLED) lights that could rival incandescent bulbs in white-light color quality. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201142404.htm Researchers have developed a relatively fast, easy and inexpensive technique for inducing nanorods to self-assemble into aligned and ordered macroscopic structures. This technique should enable more effective use of nanorods in solar cells, magnetic storage devices and sensors, and boost the electrical and mechanical properties of nanorod-polymer composites. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201142404.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201140038.htm Scientists have created a nano-infused oil that could greatly enhance the ability of devices as large as electrical transformers and as small as microelectronic components to shed excess heat. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201140038.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131122456.htm A painstaking study has brought a wealth of new information about single-walled carbon nanotubes through analysis of their fluorescence. The researchers found that the brightest nanotubes of the same length show consistent fluorescence intensity, and the longer the tube, the brighter. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131122456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131121243.htm Atomic-level defects in graphene could be a path forward to smaller and faster electronic devices. With unique properties and potential applications in areas from electronics to biodevices, graphene, which consists of a single sheet of carbon atoms, has been hailed as a rising star in the materials world. Now, a new study suggests that point defects, composed of silicon atoms that replace individual carbon atoms in graphene, could aid attempts to transfer data on an atomic scale by coupling light with electrons. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131121243.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092737.htm Nanomedicine faces two main challenges: controlling the synthesis of extremely small vectors containing one or several active ingredients and releasing these agents in the right place at the right time, in controlled forms and doses. Researchers have just recently encapsulated nanovesicles within slightly larger vesicles. This "Russian doll" structure mimics the organization of cell compartments. Reproducing it is a first major step towards triggering controlled reactions within the structure of the cell. This work is already opening up new possibilities in terms of multiple encapsulation,compartmentalized reactors and the administration of vectors via new delivery routes (e.g. oral absorption). Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130093911.htm Using computer simulations, researchers have shown that the oxygen molecule (O₂) is stable up to pressures of 1.9 terapascal, which is about nineteen million times higher than atmosphere pressure. Above that, it polymerizes, i.e. builds larger molecules or structures. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130093911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140935.htm A kitchen gadget that vacuum seals food in plastic inspired a physicist to improve the performance of organic transistors for potential use in video displays. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140935.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126223923.htm Protein purification, often referred to as downstream processing, is the most costly and time-consuming process in the manufacture of bio-molecules. EU-funded researchers integrated materials science with process development to produce novel low-cost materials and methods for selective purification with a focus on chromatography, membrane separation and extraction. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126223923.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126152132.htm Japan used seawater to cool nuclear fuel at the stricken Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant after the tsunami in March 2011 -- and that was probably the best action to take at the time, say experts. But researchers have since discovered a new way in which seawater can corrode nuclear fuel, forming uranium compounds that could potentially travel long distances, either in solution or as very small particles. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126152132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123101.htm A chemist is making and studying materials that decrease toxins in the air by either turning the lights on or off in a room. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126101308.htm Scientists have found that micron-size particles which are trapped at fluid interfaces exhibit a collective dynamic that is subject to seemingly unrelated governing laws. These laws show a smooth transitioning from long-ranged cosmological-style gravitational attraction down to short-range attractive and repulsive forces. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126101308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100639.htm Wonder material graphene has revealed another of its extraordinary properties Scientists have now found that it is superpermeable with respect to water. Graphene is one of the wonders of the science world, with the potential to create foldaway mobile phones, wallpaper-thin lighting panels and the next generation of aircraft. The new finding gives graphene’s potential a most surprising dimension – graphene can also be used for distilling alcohol. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132822.htm Chemists have taken an important step in making artificial life forms from scratch. Using a novel chemical reaction, they have created self-assembling cell membranes, the structural envelopes that contain and support the reactions required for life. Instead of complex enzymes embedded in membranes, they used a simple metal ion as the catalyst. By assembling an essential component of earthly life with no biological precursors, they hope to illuminate life's origins. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132819.htm Scientists have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery. The researchers aimed SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source at a capsule of neon gas, setting off an avalanche of X-ray emissions to create the world's first "atomic X-ray laser." Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124162351.htm Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the solar system inside a single atom. Scientists have shown that they could make an electron orbit the atomic nucleus in the same way that Jupiter's Trojan asteroids orbit the sun. The findings uphold a 1920 prediction by physicist Niels Bohr. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124162351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124140319.htm Research by chemists could impact worldwide efforts to produce clean, safe nuclear energy and reduce radioactive waste. They have used metal-organic frameworks to capture and remove volatile radioactive gas from spent nuclear fuel. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:03:03 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124140319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123175711.htm By using a novel technique to better understand mineral growth and dissolution, researchers are improving predictions of mineral reactions and laying the groundwork for applications ranging from keeping oil pipes clear to sequestering radium. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123175711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123174840.htm Scientists have developed a soap, composed of iron rich salts dissolved in water, that responds to a magnetic field when placed in solution. The soap’s magnetic properties were shown to result from tiny iron-rich clumps that sit within the watery solution. The generation of this property in a fully functional soap could calm concerns over the use of soaps in oil-spill clean ups and revolutionize industrial cleaning products. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123174840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123115530.htm Engineers have designed a biological device that can measure glucose concentrations in human saliva. The technique could eliminate the need for diabetics to draw blood to check their glucose levels. The biochip uses plasmonic interferometers and could be used to measure a range of biological and environmental substances. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123115530.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122102917.htm Scientists have selectively grown polymer nanowires using only irradiation with a pulsed laser, in a region limited to the area of irradiation. They also succeeded in imparting diverse functionalities to the nanowires by doping with various species of nanomaterials. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122102917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183038.htm Scientists have developed a new way to create Terahertz waves (T-rays) that may one day lead to biomedical detective devices similar to the 'tricorder' scanner used in Star Trek. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183038.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120182916.htm The beauty of an electron’s spin is that it responds very rapidly to small magnetic fields. Such external magnetic fields can be used to reverse the direction of spin. In this way, information can be carried by a flow of electrons. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120182916.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119163257.htm A new class of nanoparticles, synthesized to prevent premature drug release, holds promise for greater accuracy and effectiveness in delivering cancer drugs to tumors. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119163257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119101547.htm Researchers have succeeded in monitoring and controlling a molecular self-assembly process via different pathways. While it was formerly thought that the molecules form the right structure by themselves, this research shows that the assembly process can follow different pathways yielding different structures; in this case polymer chains with left- and right-handed helical directions. This new knowledge is of great importance for the understanding of supramolecular polymers, in which small differences in the way the molecular building blocks are organized can have a large influence on the properties of the resulting material. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119101547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173240.htm For some time, researchers have explored flammable ice for low-carbon or alternative fuel or as a place to store carbon dioxide. Now, a computer analysis of the ice and gas compound, known as a gas hydrate, reveals key details of its structure. The results show that hydrates can hold hydrogen at an optimal capacity of 5 weight-percent, a value that meets the goal of a U.S. Department of Energy standard and makes gas hydrates practical and affordable. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173240.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118122825.htm By shining infrared light on specially designed, gold-filled silicon wafers, scientists have successfully targeted and burned breast cancer cells. If the technology is shown to work in human clinical trials, it could provide patients a non-invasive alternative to surgical ablation, and could be used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, to make those treatments more effective. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118122825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111526.htm Researchers have demonstrated that films made of randomly stacked graphene flakes can detect lower concentrations of some chemicals than films made of graphene crystals. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111212.htm Scientists determine the smallest possible cubic lead sulfide cluster that exhibits the same coordination (a key structural property) as bigger bulk crystals. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101532.htm Computational materials researchers have used cutting-edge calculations to determine fundamental optical transparency limits in conducting oxide material tin oxide. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101413.htm Polluted water can be easily cleaned and treated to extract valuable chemicals, e.g., used in drug manufacturing. No factories or plants are needed, the sun and a “magic” powder are enough. The nearly alchemic transformation is accomplished due to photocatalysts. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117161543.htm To better understand the fundamental behavior of molecules at surfaces, researchers are combining the powers of neutron scattering with chemical analysis. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117161543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117143513.htm How liquid can a fluid be? This is a question particle physicists have been working on. The “most perfect liquid” is nothing like water, but the extremely hot quark-gluon-plasma which is produced in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. New theoretical results show that this quark-gluon plasma could be even less viscous than was deemed possible by previous theories. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117143513.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113205917.htm In the development of materials for energy production and distribution, knowledge of molecular processes in electrical charge transfer is fundamental. Scientists have once more discovered that nature provides interesting templates for long-range electron transfer. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113205917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113205450.htm When two objects repel each other under the action of one force, we usually expect that addition of another force, also repulsive one, will accelerate separation. This intuitive view is, however, not always true. Researchers have now managed to explain surprising results of experiments with mixtures, where two repulsive interactions have lead to a strong attraction. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113205450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113102058.htm Scientists have discovered a novel chemical route to form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- complex organic molecules such as naphthalene carrying fused benzene rings -- in ultra-cold regions of interstellar space. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113102058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093637.htm Materials scientists have developed a new reactive silver ink for printing high-performance electronics on ubiquitous, low-cost materials such as flexible plastic, paper or fabric substrates. The reactive ink has several advantages over particle-based inks: low processing temperature, high conductivity, and the ability to print very small features. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093631.htm Scientists report direct measurements of reactions of a gas-phase Criegee intermediate using photoionization mass spectrometry. They found that oxidation of SO2 by Criegee intermediate is much faster than modelers assumed, so Criegee reactions may be a major tropospheric sulfate source, changing predictions of tropospheric aerosol formation. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134357.htm Scientists have found a way to turn common carbon fiber into graphene quantum dots, tiny specks of matter with properties expected to prove useful in electronic, optical and biomedical applications. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134357.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134324.htm In recent years an atomic force microscope-based technique called nanoscale thermal analysis has been employed to reveal the temperature-dependent properties of materials at the sub-100 nm scale. Typically, nanothermal analysis works best for soft polymers. Researchers have now shown that they can perform nanoscale thermal analysis on stiff materials like epoxies and filled composites. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134324.htm