http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/graphene/ Graphene. Read the latest research news on graphene, including special properties of the substance, potential uses as the 'new silicon' and more. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/graphene/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143529.htm Researchers are edging toward the creation of new optical technologies using "nanostructured metamaterials" capable of ultra-efficient transmission of light, with potential applications including advanced solar cells and quantum computing. Thu, 24 May 2012 14:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143529.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143458.htm Observing the formation of nanorods in real-time, researchers found that nanoparticles become attached to form winding chains that eventually align, attach end-to-end, straighten and stretch into elongated nanowires. This supports the theory of nanoparticles acting like artificial atoms during crystal growth and points the way to future energy devices. Thu, 24 May 2012 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143458.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143456.htm Researchers have reported the first direct observation of nanoparticles undergoing oriented attachment, the critical step in biomineralization and the growth of nanocrystals. A better understanding of oriented attachment in nanoparticles is a key to synthesizing new materials with remarkable structural properties. Thu, 24 May 2012 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143450.htm Molecules containing large chains of carbon and hydrogen -- the building blocks of all life on Earth -- have been the targets of missions to Mars from Viking to the present day. While these molecules have previously been found in meteorites from Mars, scientists have disagreed about how this organic carbon was formed and whether or not it came from Mars. A new paper provides strong evidence that this carbon did originate on Mars, although it is not biological. Thu, 24 May 2012 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134613.htm Doping may be a no-no for athletes, but researchers say it was key in getting unprecedented power conversion efficiency from a new graphene solar cell created in their lab. Thu, 24 May 2012 13:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134613.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524112511.htm Physicists have trapped and cooled exotic particles called excitons so effectively that they condensed and cohered to form a giant matter wave, a signature of a state called a Bose-Einstein condensate. A first for subatomic particles, rather than whole atoms, the feat will facilitate study of the physical properties of excitons, which exist only fleetingly yet offer promising applications as diverse as efficient solar energy and ultrafast computing. Thu, 24 May 2012 11:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524112511.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htm Quantum computers may someday revolutionize the information world. But in order for quantum computers at distant locations to communicate with one another, they have to be linked together in a network. While several building blocks for a quantum computer have already been successfully tested in the laboratory, a network requires one additonal component: A reliable interface between computers and information channels. Austrian physicists now report the construction of an efficient and tunable interface for quantum networks. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133236.htm The limitations of conventional and current solar cells include high production cost, low operating efficiency and durability, and many cells rely on toxic and scarce materials. Researchers have now developed a new solar cell that, in principle, will minimize all of these solar energy technology limitations. In particular, the device is the first to solve the problem of the Grätzel cell, a promising low-cost and environmentally friendly solar cell with a significant disadvantage: it leaks. The dye-sensitized cell's electrolyte is made of an organic liquid, which can leak and corrode the solar cell itself. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523114636.htm Researchers have developed a method to build graphene-based transistors compatible with semiconductor industry processes. This technology shows a 2-3x performance enhancement over the current approach to graphene transistors. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523114636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htm Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. Recent advances in sequencing technology using a tiny orifice known as a nanopore are covered in a new a article. Tue, 22 May 2012 15:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135149.htm A new study shows that the availability of hydrogen plays a significant role in determining the chemical and structural makeup of graphene oxide, a material that has potential uses in nano-electronics, nano-electromechanical systems, sensing, composites, optics, catalysis and energy storage. Tue, 22 May 2012 13:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521104245.htm If you are not a condensed matter physicist, vanadium oxide may be the coolest material you've never heard of. It's a metal. It's an insulator. It's a window coating and an optical switch. And thanks to a new study by physicists, scientists have a new way to reversibly alter VO2's electronic properties by treating it with one of the simplest substances -- hydrogen. Mon, 21 May 2012 10:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521104245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521102950.htm The relativistic Hall effect describing objects rotating at speeds comparable with the speed of light has now been reported. Mon, 21 May 2012 10:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521102950.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133919.htm A pioneering study to gauge the toxicity of quantum dots in primates has found the tiny crystals to be safe over a one-year period, a hopeful outcome for doctors and scientists seeking new ways to battle diseases like cancer through nanomedicine. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132655.htm Semiconductors are the foundation of modern computer technology. Now a photon's literal quantum leap may point the way to a semiconductor-based quantum computer. Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132655.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132553.htm Researchers are making significant progress on rust-proofing steel using a graphene-based composite that could serve as a nontoxic alternative to coatings that contain hexavalent chromium, a probable carcinogen. Fri, 18 May 2012 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132553.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132549.htm The first purely silicon oxide-based "resistive RAM" memory chip that can operate in ambient conditions -- opening up the possibility of new super-fast memory -- has now been developed. Fri, 18 May 2012 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132549.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081332.htm The shorter the pulse duration, the more precisely the laser tool operates. Ultra-short laser pulses of outstanding high average püower are opening the doors to new applications in high throughput materials processing. Thanks to the short pulse duration, thermal damage of the material being processed is minimized. Fri, 18 May 2012 08:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081332.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htm Using newly developed imaging technology, chemists have confirmed years of theoretical assumptions about water molecules, the most abundant and one of the most frequently studied substances on Earth. Fri, 18 May 2012 08:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htm Researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics. Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140019.htm For the first time, scientists have seen an X-ray-irradiated mineral go to two different states of matter in about 40 femtoseconds. Scientists heated graphite to induce a transition from solid to liquid and to warm-dense plasma. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516093018.htm Transistors made of plastic can be controlled with great precision, according to a new article. Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516093018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131721.htm Physicists have made a breakthrough that improves understanding of matter-light interactions. Their research allows double ionization events to be observed at the time scale of attoseconds and shows that these ionization events occur earlier than thought -- a key factor to improve knowledge of correlated electron dynamics. Tue, 15 May 2012 13:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515104737.htm Researchers have taken a step toward overcoming a key obstacle in commercializing "hyperbolic metamaterials," structures that could bring optical advances including ultrapowerful microscopes, computers and solar cells. Tue, 15 May 2012 10:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515104737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515094136.htm Theorists and experimenters have explored the unique properties of topological insulators, where electrons may flow on the surface without resistance, with spin orientations and directions intimately related. Recent research opens exciting prospects for practical new room-temperature spintronic devices that can exploit control of electron spin as well as charge. Tue, 15 May 2012 09:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515094136.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515052525.htm A strong laser beam can remove an electron from an atom – a process which takes place almost instantly. This phenomenon could now be studied with a time resolution of less than ten attoseconds (ten billionths of a billionth of a second). Scientists succeeded in watching an atom being ionized and a free electron being “born”.  These measurements yield valuable information about the electrons in the atom, which up until now  hasn't been experimentally accessible, such as the time evolution of the electron’s quantum phase – the beat to which the quantum waves oscillate. Tue, 15 May 2012 05:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515052525.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515052343.htm Graphene and carbon nanotubes could improve the electronics used in computers and mobile phones, reveals new research. Tue, 15 May 2012 05:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515052343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104957.htm There's nothing worse than a shonky pool table with an unseen groove or bump that sends your shot off course: a new study has found that the same goes at the nano-scale, where the "billiard balls" are tiny electrons moving across a "table" made of the semiconductor gallium arsenide. Physicists have shown that in this game of "semiconductor billiards," small bumps have an unexpectedly large effect on the paths that electrons follow. Mon, 14 May 2012 10:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144617.htm Using tiny solar-panel-like cells surgically placed underneath the retina, scientists have devised a system that may someday restore sight to people who have lost vision because of certain types of degenerative eye diseases. Sun, 13 May 2012 14:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144617.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511133737.htm Drawing on powerful computational tools and a state-of-the-art scanning transmission electron microscope, materials science and engineering researchers have discovered a new nanometer-scale atomic structure in solid metallic materials known as metallic glasses. Fri, 11 May 2012 13:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511133737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122059.htm The development of a new combination of polymers associating sugars with oil-based macromolecules makes it possible to design ultra-thin films capable of self-organization with a 5-nanometer resolution. This opens up new horizons for increasing the capacity of hard discs and the speed of microprocessors. Fri, 11 May 2012 12:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510142005.htm A carbon nanotube sponge that can soak up oil in water with unparalleled efficiency has just been developed, with help from computational simulations. Thu, 10 May 2012 14:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510142005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htm Researchers have boosted the efficiency of a novel source of white light called quantum dots more than tenfold, making them of potential interest for commercial applications. Tue, 08 May 2012 17:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152133.htm Engineers have developed a technique to keep cool a semiconductor material used in everything from traffic lights to electric cars. Tue, 08 May 2012 15:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152133.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508094350.htm Physicists have traced the double ionization of argon atoms on attosecond time scales. When an intense laser pulse interacts with an atom it generates agitation on the micro scale. The most likely outcome of this interaction is single ionization, where one electron is ejected from the atom. From time to time, however, two electrons can be removed from the atom, resulting in the more complex process of double ionization. The detailed course of this process on attosecond time scales (an attosecond is a billionth of a billionth of a second) has now been observed. Tue, 08 May 2012 09:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508094350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508094346.htm New insight into the behaviour of atomic nuclei may explain how gigantic star explosions, or supernovas, have formed the elements that are crucial to humankind. Tue, 08 May 2012 09:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508094346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507100918.htm Simulations of defects inside copper point the way to making stronger metals. Results show that there are many different deformation mechanisms occurring in nano-structured materials like nanotwinned copper. Understanding each of them will allow scientists to tune material properties. Mon, 07 May 2012 10:09:09 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507100918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120504110404.htm Scientists have shown how a form of nanocrystallography can be carried out using a transmission electron microscope -- an instrument found in many chemistry and materials science laboratories. Fri, 04 May 2012 11:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120504110404.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194223.htm Researchers have developed a novel way of producing light pulses that are "superluminal" -- in some sense they travel faster than the speed of light. The new method could be used to improve the timing of communications signals and to investigate the propagation of quantum correlations. Thu, 03 May 2012 19:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194223.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503162025.htm Nano-electromechanical switch technology could change the future of electronics. In two recent articles, researchers have explored the progress and future applications of the burgeoning technology. Thu, 03 May 2012 16:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503162025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142712.htm A new solid-state device uses one beam of light to switch another beam of light from one direction to another. It uses one-fifth the power -- only 90 atto-joules -- than the previous all-optical switch. Thu, 03 May 2012 14:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htm Liquid crystals, the state of matter that makes possible the flat screen technology now commonly used in televisions and computers, may have some new technological tricks in store. Wed, 02 May 2012 13:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112910.htm A new nanotube super sensor is able to detect subtle differences with a single sniff. For example, the chemical dimethylsulfone is associated with skin cancer. The human nose cannot detect this volatile but it could be detected with the new sensor at concentrations as low as 25 parts per billion. Wed, 02 May 2012 11:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502092047.htm Researchers have developed a novel screening technology that allows large batches of metal oxide nanomaterials to be assessed in a rapid fashion based on their ability to trigger biological responses that are dependent on the electron transfer properties of semiconductor metal oxides. The team discovered that the cells in our bodies contain electronically active molecules that can participate in these electron transfer reactions upon contact with metal oxides. Wed, 02 May 2012 09:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502092047.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430105450.htm Like a coffee enthusiast who struggles to get a buzz from that third cup of morning joe, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) seem to reach a point where more electricity no longer imparts the same kick and productivity levels-off. Now a team of researchers has devised a new design for green and blue LEDs that avoids much of this vexing efficiency droop. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430105450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120429152249.htm Engineers have created nanoscale single crystals that can produce the red, green, or blue laser light needed in digital displays. The size determines color, but all the pyramid-shaped quantum dots are made the same way of the same elements. In experiments, light amplification required much less power than previous attempts at the technology. The team's prototypes are the first lasers of their kind. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120429152249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427163416.htm The most transparent, lightweight and flexible material ever for conducting electricity has just been invented. Called GraphExeter, the material could revolutionize the creation of wearable electronic devices, such as clothing containing computers, phones and MP3 players. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427163416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425143645.htm "Quantum critical points" (QCP) in exotic electronic materials can act much like polarizing "hot button issues" in an election. On either side of the QCP, electrons fall into line and behave as traditionally expected, but the new study finds traditional physical laws break down at the critical point itself. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425143645.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140455.htm Scientists have developed a potential pathway to cheap, stable solar cells made from nanocrystals so small they can exist as a liquid ink and be painted or printed onto clear surfaces. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140452.htm By employing powerful X-rays that can see down to the molecular level of organic materials used in printable electronics, researchers are now able to determine why some materials perform better than others. Their findings could lead to cheaper, more efficient printable electronic devices. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140452.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120424205141.htm Scientists found that incorporating graphene increased the cell's conductivity, bringing 52.4 percent more current into the circuit. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120424205141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120424121748.htm Scientists have designed a method to evaluate different conductors for use in metamaterial structures, which are engineered to exhibit properties not possible in natural materials. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120424121748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120424120749.htm Detailed studies of one of the best-performing organic photovoltaic materials reveal an unusual bilayer lamellar structure that may help explain the material's superior performance at converting sunlight to electricity and guide the synthesis of new materials with even better properties. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:07:07 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120424120749.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422134849.htm Researchers have succeeded in making highly conductive plastic fibers that are only several nanometers thick. These nanowires “self-assemble” when triggered by a flash of light. Inexpensive and easy to handle, unlike carbon nanotubes, they combine the advantages of the two materials currently used to conduct electric current: metals and plastic organic polymers. In fact, their remarkable electrical properties are similar to those of metals. In addition, they are light and flexible like plastics, which opens up the possibility of meeting one of the most important challenges of 21st century electronics: miniaturizing components down to the nanometric scale. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422134849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419143123.htm Researchers have introduced what appears to be a universal technique to reduce the work function of a conductor. Their use in printable electronics can pave the way for lower cost and more flexible devices. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419143123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419143113.htm Using lasers to excite just one atom from a cloud of ultra-cold rubidium gas, physicists have developed a new way to rapidly and efficiently create single photons for potential use in optical quantum information processing -- and in the study of dynamics and disorder in certain physical systems. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419143113.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419132602.htm Researchers have developed a technique for encapsulating liquids of nanocrystals between layers of graphene so that chemical reactions in the liquids can be imaged with an electron microscope. With this technique, movies can be made that provide unprecedented direct observations of physical, chemical and biological phenomena that take place in liquids on the nanometer scale. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419132602.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102042.htm Harnessing the energy of sunlight can be as simple as tuning the optical and electronic properties of metal oxides at the atomic level to make an artificial crystal or super-lattice ‘sandwich,’ says a scientist. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102042.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418135345.htm Record speed, low-voltage, and ultra-small size make nanodots a "triple threat" for electronic memory in computers and other electronic devices. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418135345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418135126.htm Researchers discover that a deformed layer of graphene can focus electrons similar to the way an optical lens bends light. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418135126.htm