(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense)
Researchers from New York University and Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, have observed growth-induced self-organized stacking domains when three graphene layers are stacked and twisted with precision. The findings demonstrate how specific stacking arrangements in three-layer graphene systems emerge naturally – eliminating the need for complex, non-scalable techniques traditionally used in graphene twisting fabrication. The size and shape of these stacking domains are influenced by the interplay of strain and the geometry of the three-layer graphene regions. Some domains form as stripe-like structures, tens of nanometers wide and extending over microns.

(Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health)
Researchers at the University of Kentucky and the New York Blood Center in New York City have discovered that combining magnetic nanoparticles with ascorbic acid destroyed breast cancer cells, but only if the nanoparticles were added and went inside the cells first before the ascorbic acid was added. “This discovery underscores the significance of coordinating nanoparticles and ascorbic acid in cancer treatment,” said Sheng Tong, the scientist who led this study. The researchers also engineered a specific type of immune cell, called macrophages, to carry the nanoparticles to the tumor site. When loaded with magnetic nanoparticles, the macrophages can be guided to the tumor using an external magnetic field.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. National Science Foundation)
Materials that conduct electricity well, like metals, also tend to conduct heat. But researchers at Drexel University, Villanova University, Temple University, Bryn Mawr College, Rice University, and Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium have discovered that MXenes, a type of material known for its excellent electrical conductivity, actually have very low thermal conductivity. This discovery challenges the usual link between electrical and heat conduction and could lead to new developments in building materials, performance apparel, and energy storage solutions. “Thermal insulation of this magnitude … would simply have been unimaginable until now,” said Yury Gogotsi, one of the scientists involved in this research. “This could change the way we insulate buildings and industrial equipment, and make thermal clothing, just to name a few exciting possibilities.”

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health)
Researchers at Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul have discovered a way to enhance the sensitivity of nanopores for early detection of diseases. They integrated octahedral DNA origami structures with solid-state nanopores to significantly improve the detection of proteins, especially those that are present in low concentrations. Nanopores are tiny holes that can detect individual molecules as they pass through. The researchers determined that combining the precision of DNA origami with the robustness of solid-state nanopores could create a “hybrid nanopore” system, enabling more precise analysis.

(Funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Health)
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a platform for studying how nanoscale growing surfaces can impact cellular behavior. While previous studies have shown how surface structures can change cellular shape, little is known about their specific effects on cell metabolism. The research team found that cells grown on engineered nanopillar surfaces show dramatically different metabolic profiles than cells not grown on such surfaces. Also, the researchers found that growing cells on different engineered nanopillar surfaces could change how cells produce and modify lipids, the primary components of cell membranes.