Computers

Elastomers, or elastic polymers, materials with high elasticity, are widely used for applications in industries, such as automotive, manufacturing, and oil and gas. The degree of elasticity in these materials, denoted by a parameter known as "Young's modulus," depends on the extent of cross-linking between the constituent polymer layers such that higher cross-linking leads to … [Read more...] about Scientists develop films with tunable elongation and fracture for various uses

Some electronics can bend, twist and stretch in wearable displays, biomedical applications and soft robots. While these devices' circuits have become increasingly pliable, the batteries and supercapacitors that power them are still rigid. Now, researchers in ACS' Nano Letters report a flexible supercapacitor with electrodes made of wrinkled titanium carbide -- a type of MXene … [Read more...] about Stretching the capacity of flexible energy storage

When stretched or deformed, shape memory polymers return to their original shapes after heat or light is applied. These materials show great promise for soft robotics, smart biomedical devices and deployable space structures, but until now they haven't been able to store enough energy. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have developed a shape memory polymer that … [Read more...] about High-energy shape memory polymer could someday help robots flex their muscles

Researchers have made a tiny camera, held together with 'molecular glue' that allows them to observe chemical reactions in real time. The device, made by a team from the University of Cambridge, combines tiny semiconductor nanocrystals called quantum dots and gold nanoparticles using molecular glue called cucurbituril (CB). When added to water with the molecule to be studied, … [Read more...] about Nano ‘camera’ made using molecular glue allows real-time monitoring of chemical reactions

New experiments using trapped one-dimensional gases -- atoms cooled to the coldest temperatures in the universe and confined so that they can only move in a line -- fit with the predictions of the recently developed theory of "generalized hydrodynamics." Quantum mechanics is necessary to describe the novel properties of these gases. Achieving a better understanding of how such … [Read more...] about Putting a new theory of many-particle quantum systems to the test: Experiments show that generalized hydrodynamics accurately simulates an out-of-equilibrium quantum system

While studying the behavior of electrons in iron-based superconducting materials, researchers at the University of Tokyo observed a strange signal relating to the way electrons are arranged. The signal implies a new arrangement of electrons the researchers call a nematicity wave, and they hope to collaborate with theoretical physicists to better understand it. The nematicity … [Read more...] about Surprise result for solid state physicists hints at unusual electron behavior

A new analysis suggests that, in order to boost freedoms and protect against overwhelming new waves of COVID-19, the pace at which restrictions to reduce spread are lifted must be directly tied to the pace of vaccination. Simon Bauer, Viola Priesemann, and colleagues of the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Germany, present these findings in the … [Read more...] about Optimal lifting of COVID-19 restrictions would follow pace of vaccination, study suggests: High vaccination rate also needed to maximize freedoms and minimize new waves of infection

Quantum computers are advancing at a rapid pace and are already starting to push the limits of the world's largest supercomputers. Yet, these devices are extremely sensitive to external influences and thus prone to errors which can change the result of the computation. This is particularly challenging for quantum computations that are beyond the reach of our trusted classical … [Read more...] about Researchers find a way to check that quantum computers return accurate answers

For millions of people with epilepsy and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, electrical stimulation of the brain already is widening treatment possibilities. In the future, electrical stimulation may help people with psychiatric illness and direct brain injuries, such as stroke. However, studying how brain networks interact with each other is complicated. Brain … [Read more...] about New AI algorithm to improve brain stimulation devices to treat disease

Many electronic devices today are dependent on semiconductor logic circuits based on switches hard-wired to perform predefined logic functions. Physicists from the National University of Singapore (NUS), together with an international team of researchers, have developed a novel molecular memristor, or an electronic memory device, that has exceptional memory … [Read more...] about Brain-inspired memory device: Reconfigurable device can simplify semiconductor circuit design and enhance computational power and speed