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

Date Published
(Funded by the National Science Foundation)

Researchers at Michigan State University are testing a liquid nanofoam liner, a material full of tiny nanopores, that could prolong the safe use of football helmets. When a helmet withstands an impact severe enough to cause a concussion to the player wearing it, the safety features of the helmet are compromised, rendering equipment unsafe for further use.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy)

Scientists at Ames Laboratory have discovered and confirmed a method which could serve as an easy but reliable way to test the quality of graphene and other 2D materials. It takes advantage of the very broad background in surface electron diffraction, named the Bell-Shaped-Component (BSC) which strongly correlates to uniformly patterned, or "perfect" graphene. Understanding the correlation has implications for reliable quality control of 2D materials in a manufacturing environment.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy)

Scientists at Ames Laboratory have discovered and confirmed a method which could serve as an easy but reliable way to test the quality of graphene and other 2D materials. It takes advantage of the very broad background in surface electron diffraction, named the Bell-Shaped-Component (BSC) which strongly correlates to uniformly patterned, or "perfect" graphene. Understanding the correlation has implications for reliable quality control of 2D materials in a manufacturing environment.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense)

Rice University researchers have expanded their theory on converting graphene into 2D diamond, or diamane. They have determined that a pinpoint of pressure can trigger connections between layers of graphene, rearranging the lattice into a cubic diamond.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense)

Rice University researchers have expanded their theory on converting graphene into 2D diamond, or diamane. They have determined that a pinpoint of pressure can trigger connections between layers of graphene, rearranging the lattice into a cubic diamond.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense)

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.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense)

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.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of the Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation)

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.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of the Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation)

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.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation)

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.