Combining expansion microscopy with super-resolution radial fluctuations captures the morphology of single proteins.
Category: nanotechnology – Page 34
Using a nanoscale structure that consisted of a sequential array of a source electrode, a quantum well, a tunneling barrier, a quantum dot, another tunneling barrier, and a drain electrode, researchers were able to suppress electron excitation and cool electrons to −228 °C (−378 °F) without external means at room temperature.
A team of researchers has discovered a way to cool electrons to −228 °C without external means and at room temperature, an advancement that could enable electronic devices to function with very little energy.
The process involves passing electrons through a quantum well to cool them and keep them from heating.
Brookhaven National Laboratory researchers are working to develop ways to synchronize the magnetic spins in nanoscale devices to build tiny signal-generating or receiving antennas and other electronics.
Upton, New York — Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory are seeking ways to synchronize the magnetic spins in nanoscale devices to build tiny yet more powerful signal-generating or receiving antennas and other electronics. Their latest work, published in Nature Communications, shows that stacked nanoscale magnetic vortices separated by an extremely thin layer of copper can be driven to operate in unison, potentially producing a powerful signal that could be put to work in a new generation of cell phones, computers, and other applications.
The aim of this “spintronic” technology revolution is to harness the power of an electron’s “spin,” the property responsible for magnetism, rather than its negative charge.
A new study from researchers at Tyndall National Institute and the National University of Singapore shows that subtle changes in the intermolecular van der Waals interactions in the active component of a molecular diode can improve the device performance by more than a factor of ten.
A team of scientists from Tyndall National Institute at University College Cork and the National University of Singapore have designed and fabricated ultra-small devices for energy-efficient electronics. By finding out how molecules behave in these devices, a ten-fold increase in switching efficiency was obtained by changing just one carbon atom. These devices could provide new ways to combat overheating in mobile phones and laptops, and could also aid in electrical stimulation of tissue repair for wound healing. The breakthrough creation of molecular devices with highly controllable electrical properties will appear in the February issue of Nature Nanotechnology. Dr. Damien Thompson at the Tyndall National Institute, UCC and a team of researchers at the National University of Singapore led by Prof. Chris Nijhuis designed and created the devices, which are based on molecules acting as electrical valves, or diode rectifiers.
Dr. Thompson explains “These molecules are very useful because they allow current to flow through them when switched ON and block current flow when switched OFF. The results of the study show that simply adding one extra carbon is sufficient to improve the device performance by more than a factor of ten. We are following up lots of new ideas based on these results, and we hope ultimately to create a range of new components for electronic devices.” Dr. Thompson’s atom-level computer simulations showed how molecules with an odd number of carbon atoms stand straighter than molecules with an even number of carbon atoms. This allows them to pack together more closely. Tightly-packed assemblies of these molecules were formed on metal electrode surfaces by the Nijhuis group in Singapore and were found to be remarkably free of defects. These high quality devices can suppress leakage currents and so operate efficiently and reliably.
A collaborative research team has developed a novel method to measure minuscule nanoscale forces in liquids, using a technique that significantly enhances measurement sensitivity and resolution. This breakthrough could transform biological research and advance biomedical technology.
Groundbreaking research has introduced a new method for measuring extremely small forces at the nanoscale within aqueous environments, expanding our understanding of the microscopic realm.
The significant nanotechnology advance was achieved by researchers from Beihang University in China with RMIT University and other leading institutions including the Australian National University and University of Technology Sydney.
Researchers at the Fritz Haber Institute have advanced nanoscale optoelectronics by developing a method to control single-molecule photoswitching with atomic precision.
This method utilizes localized surface plasmons on semiconductor platforms to precisely adjust molecular configurations, enhancing device efficiency and adaptability. This innovation promises significant improvements in the miniaturization and functionality of future electronic and photonic devices, potentially impacting a wide range of applications including sensors and photovoltaic cells.
Groundbreaking Discovery in Nanoscale Optoelectronics.
New research from North Carolina State University shows that unique materials with distinct properties akin to those of gecko feet – the ability to stick to just about any surface – can be created by harnessing liquid-driven chaos to produce soft polymer microparticles with hierarchical branching on the micro-and nanoscale.
The findings, published today (October 14, 2019) in the journal Nature Materials, hold the potential for advances in gels, pastes, foods, nonwovens, and coatings, among other formulations.
The soft dendritic particle materials with unique adhesive and structure-building properties can be created from a variety of polymers precipitated from solutions under special conditions, says Orlin Velev, S. Frank and Doris Culberson Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State and corresponding author of the paper.
“Our microwave induction heating technology enables fast and easy preparation of hard carbon, which I believe will contribute to the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries,” said Dr. Daeho Kim.
Can sodium-ion batteries be improved to exceed the efficiency and longevity of traditional lithium-ion batteries? This is what a recent study published in Chemical Engineering Journal hopes to address as a team of researchers from South Korea investigated how microwave induction heating can produce sufficient carbon anodes used in sodium-ion batteries. This study holds the potential to help researchers and engineers better understand how to develop and produce efficient sodium-ion batteries, which have demonstrated greater abundancy and stability.
“Due to recent electric vehicle fires, there has been growing interest in sodium-ion batteries that are safer and function well in colder conditions. However, the carbonization process for anodes has been a significant disadvantage in terms of energy efficiency and cost,” said Dr. Jong Hwan Park, who is from the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) and a co-author on the study.
For the study, the KERI-led researchers improved upon existing sodium-ion batteries by using microwave technology, which involves heating carbon nanotubes using a microwave magnetic field, resulting in temperature exceeding 1,400 degrees Celsius (2,550 degrees Fahrenheit) in only 30 seconds. This breakthrough improves upon traditional methods for procuring carbon anodes, which typically require lengthy amounts of time to reach just 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800 degrees Fahrenheit).
A nanotube researcher in Japan has earned 13 retractions, with more to come, after an extensive investigation by the country’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) revealed widespread misconduct in his work.
AIST’s investigation found Naohiro Kameta, senior principal researcher at the Nanomaterials Research Institute located in AIST’s Ibaraki campus, fabricated and falsified dozens of studies. He was apparently dismissed from his role following the findings.
The institute first learned of the problems in Kameta’s work in November 2022, according to a translated version of the investigation report. Initially, they looked into five papers, but eventually expanded their scrutiny to 61 articles on which Kameta was the lead or responsible author.
Researchers at the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Germany, have developed a new method that makes it possible for the first time to image the three-dimensional shape of proteins with a conventional microscope. Combined with artificial intelligence, One-step Nanoscale Expansion (ONE) microscopy enables the detection of structural changes in damaged or toxic proteins in human samples. Diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, which are based on protein misfolding, could thus be detected and treated at an early stage.
ONE microscopy was named one of the “seven technologies to watch in 2024” by the journal Nature and was recently published in the renowned journal Nature Biotechnology (“One-step nanoscale expansion microscopy reveals individual protein shapes”).
Artistic impression of the first protein structure of the GABAA receptor solved by ONE microscopy. (Image: Shaib/Rizzoli, umg/mbexc)