A team of scientists has detected a hidden state of electronic order in a layered material containing lanthanum, barium, copper, and oxygen (LBCO). When cooled to a certain temperature and with certain concentrations of barium, LBCO is known to conduct electricity without resistance, but now there is evidence that a superconducting state actually occurs above […]
Making Glass Invisible
If you have ever watched television in anything but total darkness, used a computer while sitting underneath overhead lighting or near a window, or taken a photo outside on a sunny day with your smartphone, you have experienced a major nuisance of modern display screens: glare. Most of today’s electronics devices are equipped with glass […]
Electron Orbitals May Hold Key to Unifying Concept of High-Temperature Superconductivity
A team of scientists has found evidence for a new type of electron pairing that may broaden the search for new high-temperature superconductors. The findings, described in the journal Science, provide the basis for a unifying description of how radically different “parent” materials — insulating copper-based compounds and metallic iron-based compounds — can develop the […]
Real-Time Technique For Studying Ionic Liquids At Electrode Interfaces
Ionic liquids — salts made by combining positively charged molecules (cations) and negatively charged molecules (anions) that are liquid at relatively low temperatures, often below room temperature — are increasingly being investigated for uses in batteries, supercapacitors, and transistors. Their unique physical and chemical properties, including good ionic conductivity, low flammability and volatility, and high […]
Water-Repellent Nanotextures Found to Have Excellent Anti-Fogging Abilities
Some insect bodies have evolved the abilities to repel water and oil, adhere to different surfaces, and eliminate light reflections. Scientists have been studying the physical mechanisms underlying these remarkable properties found in nature and mimicking them to design materials for use in everyday life. Several years ago, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s […]
Enhancing The Superconducting Properties Of An Iron-Based Material
Iron-based superconductors can conduct electricity without resistance at unusually high temperatures relative to those of conventional superconductors, which must be chilled to near absolute zero (minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit) to release their superconducting powers. In addition, they’re relatively easy to bend and can carry electrical current easily in different directions under high magnetic fields before […]
Trees with Altered Lignin Are Better for Biofuels, Study Shows
Lignin is a natural component of plant cell walls, the scaffolding that surrounds each cell and plays a pivotal role in plants’ ability to grow against gravity and reach heights ranging from stubbly grasses to the sky-scraping splendor of redwoods. But lignin is a problem for scientists interested in converting plant biomass to biofuels and […]
Graphene Leans On Glass To Advance Electronics
Graphene, the two-dimensional powerhouse, packs extreme durability, electrical conductivity, and transparency into a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon. Despite being heralded as a breakthrough “wonder material,” graphene has been slow to leap into commercial and industrial products and processes. Now, scientists have developed a simple and powerful method for creating resilient, customized, and high-performing graphene: layering […]
Unique 2-level Cathode Structure Improves Battery Performance
Building a better battery is a delicate balancing act. Increasing the amounts of chemicals whose reactions power the battery can lead to instability. Similarly, smaller particles can improve reactivity but expose more material to degradation. Now a team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and […]
Nanoscale Mirrored Cavities Amplify, Connect Quantum Memories
The idea of computing systems based on controlling atomic spins just got a boost from new research performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the U.S. Department of Energy‘s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory. By constructing tiny “mirrors” to trap light around impurity atoms in diamond crystals, the team dramatically increased the efficiency with […]