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Spectroscopic and structural measurements often give conflicting results about the role of disorder in determining the properties of energy materials. A hybrid neutron scattering technique is used to measure atomic correlations in time and space for cubic GeTe, revealing that anisotropic elastic interactions mimic disorder but the time-averaged structure is crystalline.
When BiFeO3 layers are confined between TbScO3 layers in an epitaxial superlattice, crystallographically orthogonal voltages can induce reversible, non-volatile switching between polar and antipolar states in BiFeO3. This symmetry switch also leads to marked changes in the nonlinear optical response, piezoresponse and resistivity of the system.
An ultrastrong and superhard conductive carbon composite has been synthesized, which consists of ultrafine nanodiamond homogeneously dispersed in disordered multilayer graphene with incoherent interfaces. The microstructures of the composite suggest that the transition from amorphous carbon to diamond involves the extensive nucleation and diffusion-driven growth of nanodiamond.
Three-dimensional printing of hydrogels loaded with fungal mycelium can produce living materials with unique adaptive properties in shapes that are relevant for engineering applications. The metabolic activity of the living mycelial network allows the printed structure to grow autonomously and self-regenerate when it is provided with nutrients in water.
