News & Comment

By optimizing a range of structural parameters, the performance of different coloured quantum-dot-based LEDs has been significantly improved

Smart nanocomposite films made from carbon nanotubes and a temperature-responsive polymer gel show self-cleaning and controlled-release properties

The X-ray structure of a gold nanoparticle coated with a thiol monolayer has been determined, with unexpected results

Silicon nanostructures can be very precisely doped by coating them with organic molecules that release dopant atoms when heated to high temperatures

The resistance through a film of linked metal nanoparticles changes dramatically when it is stretched, suggesting these materials could be used to make highly sensitive strain gauges

A water-based synthesis of different-shaped palladium nanocrystals offers a more environmentally friendly approach to making these materials

Molecules made by grafting branched lipid chains to peptides can self-assemble into bioactive nanostructures that can be used to deliver materials into cells

A comprehensive study in mice shows that the size and charge of nanoparticles determine which organs they go to

Hydrogenase enzymes can be electrically connected to single-walled carbon nanotubes to form materials that could have possible applications in biofuel cells

The 'shrink-wrapping' of giant fullerenes to form smaller structures, such as C₆₀, has been observed with a transmission electron microscope

A combination of microscopy techniques can now trace how carbon nanotubes enter and kill cells

Many areas of nanoscience and technology will benefit from new capabilities offered by STEMs and STMs

In small volumes of spins, statistical fluctuations can provide a useful basis for imaging, and a study now shows how to let this good noise stand out above the rest

A new method of producing graphene sheets in large quantities for use in electronic devices involves simply removing the oxygen from graphite oxide

Dendrimer-stabilized Pd nanoparticles are used to catalyse carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions and show increasing activity as their concentration is decreased

Two Y-shaped single-walled carbon nanotubes can be joined to form rings that may prove useful for interferometry applications

The rate of protein folding can be enhanced by placing the protein in a nanocontainer with the right geometry

Field-effect transistors incorporating a single germanium nanowire can detect visible light with a high level of sensitivity