News from the NNI Community - Research Advances Funded by Agencies Participating in the NNI

Researchers at Penn State are beginning to understand the behavior of so-called "active" particles, which, if controlled, has potential implications for smart 3D printing and engineered drug delivery systems. The particles – which can be biological but, in this case, are cylindrical platinum-gold nanorods smaller than a red blood cell – flow in a fluid through a micro-channel into a tapered nozzle. Once collected there, they can be used in additive manufacturing to 3D-print objects or to deliver therapeutics directly to cells.

Researchers at Drexel University have developed antennas that are so thin they can be sprayed into place and robust enough they can provide a strong signal at bandwidths that will be used by fifth-generation (5G) mobile devices. The new antennas, which are made from a two-dimensional material called MXene, are already performing nearly as well as the copper antennas found in most mobile devices on the market today, but with the benefit of being just a fraction of their thickness and weight.

Researchers at Drexel University have developed antennas that are so thin they can be sprayed into place and robust enough they can provide a strong signal at bandwidths that will be used by fifth-generation (5G) mobile devices. The new antennas, which are made from a two-dimensional material called MXene, are already performing nearly as well as the copper antennas found in most mobile devices on the market today, but with the benefit of being just a fraction of their thickness and weight.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have created the smallest memory device yet, shrinking the cross section area down to just a single square nanometer. In the process, the researchers figured out the physics dynamic that unlocks dense memory storage capabilities for these tiny devices. Defects, or holes in the material, provide the key to unlocking the high-density memory storage capability.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have created the smallest memory device yet, shrinking the cross section area down to just a single square nanometer. In the process, the researchers figured out the physics dynamic that unlocks dense memory storage capabilities for these tiny devices. Defects, or holes in the material, provide the key to unlocking the high-density memory storage capability.

Researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have achieved the first direct visualization of quantum dots in bilayer graphene, revealing the shape of the quantum wave function of the trapped electrons. This work provides information needed to develop quantum devices based on this system.

Researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have achieved the first direct visualization of quantum dots in bilayer graphene, revealing the shape of the quantum wave function of the trapped electrons. This work provides information needed to develop quantum devices based on this system.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania have built a first-of-its-kind automated tool for depositing films with finely controlled blend compositions made of up to three components onto single samples. Although the researchers focused on a self-assembling polymer system, the platform can be used to explore blends of a variety of materials such as polymers, nanoparticles, and small molecules. 

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania have built a first-of-its-kind automated tool for depositing films with finely controlled blend compositions made of up to three components onto single samples. Although the researchers focused on a self-assembling polymer system, the platform can be used to explore blends of a variety of materials such as polymers, nanoparticles, and small molecules. 

Researchers at Yale University have developed a procedure that can replicate surface structures at the atomic scale – a breakthrough that could lead to better catalysts and improved data storage. This process involves heating a metallic glass alloy containing mainly platinum and then compressing it so that it flows into the mold. The process is similar to routine molding techniques used with polymer-based plastics to make toys and casings, but on a much smaller scale.