(Funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation)
Researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of Arizona have provided new insights into how next-generation electronics break down or degrade over time. Using a sophisticated electron microscope, the researchers looked at the nanopillars within magnetic tunnel junctions – the building blocks for the non-volatile memory in smart watches and in-memory computing. The researchers ran a current through the device to see how it operates. As they increased the current, they were able to observe how the device degrades and eventually dies in real time. “What was unusual with this discovery is that we observed this burn out at a much lower temperature than what previous research thought was possible,” said Andre Mkhoyan, one of the scientists involved in this research.

(Funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology)
Researchers from the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have engineered a seafood-waste material that removes chemical pesticides and herbicides from produce and extends shelf life. The material, made of a derivative of crab and shrimp shells, is designed to form a thin nanocrystal layer on the treated produce, removing chemical residues. The researchers used a smartphone app to check the chemical residue level. They found that this coating was effective in absorbing the chemical residues, enhanced the fruit’s shelf life, and was easily rinsed off.