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The assembly of nanoparticles in polymer films is driven by a complex combination of both enthalpic and entropic effects. Careful control of these factors during preparation can lead to finely structured composites.
To achieve the often-promised capabilities of polymer nanocomposites, the properties of the interfacial region between polymer and filler must be controlled. Model nanocomposites offer a path towards understanding the physics of this region.
The magnetization direction in the centre of a submicrometre magnetic disk can now be switched by an electrical current. This discovery demonstrates the potential of realizing all-electrically controlled magnetic memory devices.
Multiferroics might hold the future for the ultimate memory device. The demonstration of a four-state resistive memory element in a tunnel junction with multiferroic barriers represents a major step in this direction.
The future of quantum computing relies on keeping information in quantum spin phases. A study of molecular nanomagnets shows that their dephasing time may be more suitable than previously thought.
Simulations of nanoscale sharp tips sliding on a salt surface predict vanishing friction at temperatures close to the melting temperature, as the tip skates on a layer of liquefied salt. This insight opens the way to applications in MEMS, NEMS and auto/aerospace engines.
Reducing the operating voltage and power consumption of organic-based logic circuits for portable applications is a critical step towards the commercialization of organic electronics.
Raman spectroscopy experiments show that the interaction between electrons and phonons in graphene resembles the Dirac fermion–photon coupling in quantum electrodynamics.
Ice, silicon and oxide glasses can show amorphous phases of distinct densities. Based on changes in atomic bond lengths, a similar polyamorphism has now been observed in structurally different metallic glasses.
An explanation for the need of a reduction process in electron-doped superconductors offers new insight into the conductivity mechanism of these lesser-known superconductors.
Despite intense research efforts, no three-dimensional materials with a photonic bandgap for visible wavelengths have yet been fabricated. A new self-assembly strategy lays out the route towards the realization of this dream.
Exploiting the interplay between entropic and enthalpic contributions in block copolymer–nanoparticle blends permits construction of composites with specified structures. Disassembly can then provide well-defined structural units as building blocks for future applications.
Entanglement of interpenetrating metal–organic frameworks has been considered a drawback to porosity. However, the pore size of these structures can be controlled through framework dynamics to achieve selectivity and increased binding of ions and gases.
Despite great expectations, artificial cartilage constructs still represent a challenge for tissue engineers. A three-dimensional fibre–hydrogel material provides a breathrough in the design of scaffolds with mechanical properties that match those of native cartilage.
Over the past two decades, the optical recording industry has empirically improved the properties of phase-change materials for rewritable discs. Now a first step has been taken to use computational design to improve these materials.
