News from the NNI Community - Research Advances Funded by Agencies Participating in the NNI

An international multi-institution team of scientists has synthesized graphene nanoribbons—ultrathin strips of carbon atoms—on a titanium dioxide surface using an atomically precise method that removes a barrier for custom-designed carbon nanostructures required for quantum information sciences. When fashioned into nanoribbons, graphene could be applied in nanoscale devices; however, the lack of atomic-scale precision in using current state-of-the-art "top-down" synthetic methods stymie graphene's practical use. Researchers developed a "bottom-up" approach by building the graphene nanoribbon directly at the atomic level in a way that can be used in specific applications.

Researchers from Penn State have successfully altered 2D materials for applications in many optical and electronic devices.  By altering the material in two different ways—atomically and physically—the researchers were able to enhance light emission and increase signal strength, expanding the bounds of what is possible with devices that rely on these materials.  In the first method, the researchers modified the atomic makeup of the materials, creating a new type of 2D material by replacing atoms on one side of the layer with a different type of atom, creating uneven distribution of the charge. In the second method, the researchers strengthened the signal that resulted from an energy up-conversion process by taking a layer of molybdenum disulfide and rolling it into a roughly cylindrical shape.

Researchers from Penn State have successfully altered 2D materials for applications in many optical and electronic devices.  By altering the material in two different ways—atomically and physically—the researchers were able to enhance light emission and increase signal strength, expanding the bounds of what is possible with devices that rely on these materials.  In the first method, the researchers modified the atomic makeup of the materials, creating a new type of 2D material by replacing atoms on one side of the layer with a different type of atom, creating uneven distribution of the charge. In the second method, the researchers strengthened the signal that resulted from an energy up-conversion process by taking a layer of molybdenum disulfide and rolling it into a roughly cylindrical shape.

Engineers at Rice University and Texas A&M University have identified a 2D perovskite-derivative material that could make computers faster and more energy-efficient. Their material has the ability to enable the valleytronics phenomenon. In valleytronics, electrons have degrees of freedom in the multiple momentum states — or valleys — they occupy. These states can be read as bits, creating a possible platform for information processing and storage.

Engineers at Rice University and Texas A&M University have identified a 2D perovskite-derivative material that could make computers faster and more energy-efficient. Their material has the ability to enable the valleytronics phenomenon. In valleytronics, electrons have degrees of freedom in the multiple momentum states — or valleys — they occupy. These states can be read as bits, creating a possible platform for information processing and storage.

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a way to control the growth of twisting, microscopic spirals of materials just one atom thick. The standard practice for making twisting two-dimensional structures has been mechanically stacking two sheets of the thin materials on top of each other and carefully controlling the twist angle between them by hand. But when researchers grow these two-dimensional materials directly, they cannot control the twist angle because the interactions between the layers are very weak. The scientists found out how to control the growth of these twisting nanoscale structures by thinking outside the flat space of Euclidean geometry.

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a way to control the growth of twisting, microscopic spirals of materials just one atom thick. The standard practice for making twisting two-dimensional structures has been mechanically stacking two sheets of the thin materials on top of each other and carefully controlling the twist angle between them by hand. But when researchers grow these two-dimensional materials directly, they cannot control the twist angle because the interactions between the layers are very weak. The scientists found out how to control the growth of these twisting nanoscale structures by thinking outside the flat space of Euclidean geometry.

Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Construction Engineering Research Laboratory have demonstrated the ability to reproduce the nanostructures that help cicada wings repel water and prevent bacteria from establishing on the surface. The new technique – which uses commercial nail polish – is economical and straightforward, and the researchers said it will help fabricate future high-tech waterproof materials.

Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Construction Engineering Research Laboratory have demonstrated the ability to reproduce the nanostructures that help cicada wings repel water and prevent bacteria from establishing on the surface. The new technique – which uses commercial nail polish – is economical and straightforward, and the researchers said it will help fabricate future high-tech waterproof materials.

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University are spinning liquid crystals into fibers that change color at different temperatures. These "smart fabrics" are made of soft, lightweight and elastic material, such as polymer nanomaterials made of plastics like nylon or polyethylene, and could be used in clothing such as camouflage or for detecting the presence of a pathogen like a virus.