Graphene grows—physicists find a way to visualize it

Graphene is one of the strongest materials. On top of that, it is exceptionally good at conducting heat and electrical currents, making it one of the most special and versatile materials we know. For all these reasons, the ...

Making cleaner, greener plastics from waste fish parts

Polyurethanes, a type of plastic, are nearly everywhere—in shoes, clothes, refrigerators and construction materials. But these highly versatile materials can have a major downside. Derived from crude oil, toxic to synthesize, ...

Fluorescent molecule betrays the breakdown of polymer materials

Nylon, rubber, silicone, Teflon, PVC—these are all examples of man-made polymers—long chains of repeated molecular units that we call monomers. While polymers also exist in nature (think wool, silk, or even hair), the ...

Using porous crystals to harvest light

Drawing inspiration from photosynthesis, KAUST researchers have developed a new spin on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) that could help solar cells to gather more energy from the Sun.

New material cleans and splits water

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are among the most useful and versatile materials today, demonstrating structural versatility, high porosity, and fascinating optical and electronic properties. These characteristics make them ...

Porous crystals for natural gas storage

(PhysOrg.com) -- Porous crystals called metal-organic frameworks, with their nanoscopic pores and incredibly high surface areas, are excellent materials for natural gas storage. But with millions of different structures possible, ...

The wonders of graphene on display

Graphene, discovered in 2004 at The University of Manchester by Professor Andre Geim and Professor Kostya Novoselov, is one of the world's most versatile materials, and is already being used in such varied applications as ...

page 1 from 1