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

Researchers from Rice University, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Princeton University have created a light-powered catalytic nanoparticle that can break the strong chemical bonds in fluorocarbons, a group of synthetic materials that includes persistent environmental pollutants. The nanoparticles, which are tiny spheres of aluminum dotted with specks of palladium, break carbon-fluorine bonds via a catalytic process in which a fluorine atom is replaced by an atom of hydrogen.

Researchers from Rice University, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Princeton University have created a light-powered catalytic nanoparticle that can break the strong chemical bonds in fluorocarbons, a group of synthetic materials that includes persistent environmental pollutants. The nanoparticles, which are tiny spheres of aluminum dotted with specks of palladium, break carbon-fluorine bonds via a catalytic process in which a fluorine atom is replaced by an atom of hydrogen.

An international research team with scientists from Columbia University, the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute (both in the United States), the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, RWTH Aachen University (both in Germany), and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan has discovered that twisting two layers of an atomically thin material made of tungsten diselenide enables the realization of exotic correlated phenomena – including high-temperature superconductivity and correlated insulators – in a controlled manner and without the geometrical restriction found in twisted bilayer graphene.

An international research team with scientists from Columbia University, the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute (both in the United States), the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, RWTH Aachen University (both in Germany), and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan has discovered that twisting two layers of an atomically thin material made of tungsten diselenide enables the realization of exotic correlated phenomena – including high-temperature superconductivity and correlated insulators – in a controlled manner and without the geometrical restriction found in twisted bilayer graphene.

Trace amounts of contaminants – such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and perfluorooctanoic acid – in drinking water sources have posed significant health risks to humans in recent years. Certain chemical processes that typically involve ozone, hydrogen peroxide, or ultraviolet light have proven effective at removing them, but these processes can be expensive and energy-intensive. Nanoparticles created by engineers at Yale University and Rice University could lead to technologies that get around those limitations.

Trace amounts of contaminants – such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and perfluorooctanoic acid – in drinking water sources have posed significant health risks to humans in recent years. Certain chemical processes that typically involve ozone, hydrogen peroxide, or ultraviolet light have proven effective at removing them, but these processes can be expensive and energy-intensive. Nanoparticles created by engineers at Yale University and Rice University could lead to technologies that get around those limitations.

One of the largest problems with cancer treatment is the development of resistance to anticancer therapies. A research team has found that a commonly used chemotherapy drug may be repurposed as a treatment for resurgent or chemotherapy-resistant leukemia. The researchers developed a nanoparticle that allowed doxorubicin, a commonly used chemotherapy drug, to be injected safely and released sustainably over time.  Because of its rate of drug release, the patented nanoparticle was more effective than both a solution of the pure drug and the only commercially available version of a nanoparticle carrying doxorubicin.

One of the largest problems with cancer treatment is the development of resistance to anticancer therapies. A research team has found that a commonly used chemotherapy drug may be repurposed as a treatment for resurgent or chemotherapy-resistant leukemia. The researchers developed a nanoparticle that allowed doxorubicin, a commonly used chemotherapy drug, to be injected safely and released sustainably over time.  Because of its rate of drug release, the patented nanoparticle was more effective than both a solution of the pure drug and the only commercially available version of a nanoparticle carrying doxorubicin.

A team of researchers at Brown University has found a way to increase the toughness of a ceramic material used to make solid-state lithium ion batteries. Ceramics are highly brittle materials that can fracture during the manufacturing process and during use. The researchers showed that infusing a ceramic with graphene doubled the material's fracture toughness compared to the ceramic alone.

A team of researchers at Brown University has found a way to increase the toughness of a ceramic material used to make solid-state lithium ion batteries. Ceramics are highly brittle materials that can fracture during the manufacturing process and during use. The researchers showed that infusing a ceramic with graphene doubled the material's fracture toughness compared to the ceramic alone.