New laboratory technique bypasses the need for astronomically high pressures
New type of reflective screen can be viewed in bright sunshine without an energy-draining backlight
Read article: ‘Stop-motion movie of atoms’ reveals short-lived state in nanoscale switch
First snapshots of ultrafast switching could lead to more energy-efficient computing
Read article: New semiconductor cools computer chips
High-thermal-conductivity boron arsenide is better at removing heat than the best thermal-management devices available today
Read article: ‘Bogolons’ make graphene superconducting
2D form of carbon transforms into a high-temperature superconductor if placed near a Bose-Einstein condensate, say theorists
Read article: Metamaterial sculpts heart-shaped darkness from light
Sub-wavelength imaging could benefit from new technology
Read article: Luminescent nanoparticles identify defects in electrical appliances
New technique could help extend the operating life of electronic devices
Read article: Sprinkling basalt over soil could remove huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Amending soils with volcanic dust would sequester greenhouse gas without changing land use
Take a look inside the free-to-read digital edition of Physics World‘s materials briefing. Covering the latest innovations and commercial developments, this issue explores biomaterials, twisted carbon layers and liquid crystals.
Read article: Electrochemistry-based and -coupled characterization of energy storage materials
Join the audience for a live webinar on 25 August 2021 sponsored by Hiden Analytical, in partnership with The Electrochemical Society
Read article: Plasma processing challenges in the era of sub-nanometre-node semiconductor devices
Join the audience for a live webinar on 24 August 2021 sponsored by Hiden Analytical, MKS Instruments, Agilent Vacuum Technologies and Pfeiffer Vacuum, in partnership with IUVSTA
Join the audience for a live webinar on 18 August 2021 sponsored by Hiden Analytical, in partnership with The Electrochemical Society
Read article: New material breaks low-thermal-conductivity record
Designer inorganic solid conducts heat almost as poorly as air
Read article: Twisted trilayer graphene could be a spin-triplet superconductor
Material is resilient to high magnetic fields
Read article: Ice microfibres are super flexible and springy
Flexible ice microfibres could be used to create environmental sensors, as low-loss optical waveguides or to study ice physics
Read article: Soft electronics self-heal
Liquid metal composites do not break even when punctured and can be repeatedly stretched without losing their electrical conductivity
Read article: Majorana modes continue to elude
"Zero mode" feature predicted in a semiconductor-superconductor nanowire comes from an entirely different effect, say researchers
Read article: Transparent coating captures aerosol droplets from air
Polymer-based liquid could reduce transmission of infectious respiratory diseases like COVID-19
Read article: ‘Second sound’ appears in germanium
Unexpected finding could improve the performance of electronics devices, say researchers
Read article: ‘Iron man of 2D materials’ defies century-old description of fracture mechanics
Growth of cracks in hexagonal boron nitride proves surprisingly stable
Read article: Electrons in graphene drag light in their wake
A 21st-century version of Fizeau drag shines a spotlight on electron interactions
Read article: Metallic foams for face masks, why the UK needs an X-ray free electron laser
An ion clock in space, a vanishing pacemaker and a LEGO microscope are also discussed
Read article: Unusual superconductivity appears in a Kagome metal
Electrons in the compound appear to pair in unconventional ways, say physicists
Read article: Physicists explain why unexpectedly small temperature fluctuations occur in objects exposed to extreme heat
Improved theorem could boost the performance of tiny machines
Read article: Getting children interested in science
Angela Saini and her son Aneurin review Nano: the Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small by Jess Wade, illustrated by Melissa Castrillon
Read article: Non-toxic supercapacitors go fully recyclable
3D-printed devices made from a biodegradable paper-like material could power the Internet of Things in a more sustainable way
Read article: Meringue-like material offers lightweight soundproofing for aircraft engines
Graphene-based aerogel is low cost and environmentally friendly