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Bulk hexagonal boron nitride is cheap and easy to obtain, but exfoliating it into atomically thin nanosheets has been a challenge. Now, chemists at Rice University have found a way to get the maximum amount of quality 2D hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (from its natural bulk form) by processing it with surfactant and water. The surfactant surrounds and stabilizes the nanosheets, preserving their properties.
Kombucha tea, a trendy fermented beverage, has inspired engineers at the U.S. Army's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies at MIT and Imperial College London to develop a new way to generate tough, functional materials with a mixture of bacteria and yeast similar to the kombucha mother used to ferment tea. These functional materials, which consist of a dense network of ribbon-like cellulose fibrils, each about 50 nanometers wide and up to 9 micrometers in length, can perform a variety of functions, such as sensing environmental pollutants, purifying water for soldiers in the field, and making smart packaging materials that can detect damage.
Kombucha tea, a trendy fermented beverage, has inspired engineers at the U.S. Army's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies at MIT and Imperial College London to develop a new way to generate tough, functional materials with a mixture of bacteria and yeast similar to the kombucha mother used to ferment tea. These functional materials, which consist of a dense network of ribbon-like cellulose fibrils, each about 50 nanometers wide and up to 9 micrometers in length, can perform a variety of functions, such as sensing environmental pollutants, purifying water for soldiers in the field, and making smart packaging materials that can detect damage.
Two studies from researchers at Yale University answer some key questions about two-dimensional (2-D) materials. In one study, the researchers experimentally measured the precise doping effects of small molecules on 2-D materials—a first step toward tailoring molecules for modulating the electrical properties of 2-D materials. In the second study, the researchers looked at the effects of mechanical strain on the ordering of lithium in lithium-ion batteries and demonstrated how much the lithium atoms slow down.
Two studies from researchers at Yale University answer some key questions about two-dimensional (2-D) materials. In one study, the researchers experimentally measured the precise doping effects of small molecules on 2-D materials—a first step toward tailoring molecules for modulating the electrical properties of 2-D materials. In the second study, the researchers looked at the effects of mechanical strain on the ordering of lithium in lithium-ion batteries and demonstrated how much the lithium atoms slow down.
Researchers at MIT and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have designed a new class of small molecules that spontaneously assemble into nanoribbons with unprecedented strength, retaining their structure outside of water. For the past couple of decades, scientists and engineers have been designing molecules that assemble themselves in water, with the goal of making nanostructures, primarily for biomedical applications such as drug delivery or tissue engineering. But these structures fall apart in the absence of water. These small molecules, however, retain their structure outside of water, which could inspire a broad range of applications.
Researchers at MIT and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have designed a new class of small molecules that spontaneously assemble into nanoribbons with unprecedented strength, retaining their structure outside of water. For the past couple of decades, scientists and engineers have been designing molecules that assemble themselves in water, with the goal of making nanostructures, primarily for biomedical applications such as drug delivery or tissue engineering. But these structures fall apart in the absence of water. These small molecules, however, retain their structure outside of water, which could inspire a broad range of applications.
Researchers from New York University, the College of Staten Island, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories have revealed how room-temperature phase transitions occur between atomically thin, 2-D hexagonal-phase boron nitride and cubic-phase boron nitride. The work involved application of pressure to atomically thin films of hexagonal-phase boron nitride with a number of atomic layers (from one to ten) by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). To test the extent of the phase transition from hexagonal to cubic crystalline structure, the AFM nanoscopic tip probe simultaneously applied pressure and measured the material’s elasticity.
Researchers from New York University, the College of Staten Island, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories have revealed how room-temperature phase transitions occur between atomically thin, 2-D hexagonal-phase boron nitride and cubic-phase boron nitride. The work involved application of pressure to atomically thin films of hexagonal-phase boron nitride with a number of atomic layers (from one to ten) by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). To test the extent of the phase transition from hexagonal to cubic crystalline structure, the AFM nanoscopic tip probe simultaneously applied pressure and measured the material’s elasticity.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a microneedle patch that can help detect small amounts of antibodies in interstitial fluid. The researchers used fluorescence nanolabels to detect protein biomarkers present in small amounts in interstitial fluid. The signal from the target biomarkers in samples was approximately 1,400 times brighter than that from conventional fluorescent labels.
