Powerful X-ray beams unlock secrets of nanoscale crystal formation

Technique allowed continuous study of cobalt nanoparticles as they grew

09-Jan-2019 - High-energy X-ray beams and a clever experimental setup allowed researchers to watch a high-pressure, high-temperature chemical reaction to determine for the first time what controls formation of two different nanoscale crystalline structures in the metal cobalt. The technique allowed continuous ...

A new method to detect nucleation

27-Jul-2018 - As a solution evaporates, the dissolved chemicals concentrate until they begin forming a crystal through a process called nucleation. Industries that use small crystals in pharmaceuticals, food and microelectronics are seeking to understanding this nucleation event. Scientists studying nucleation ...

Using DNA, nanoparticles and lithography to make optically active structures

22-Jan-2018 - Northwestern University researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind technique for creating entirely new classes of optical materials and devices that could lead to light bending and cloaking devices -- news to make the ears of Star Trek's Spock perk up. Using DNA as a key tool, the ...

Silver nanoparticle concentration too low to be harmful in water supply

17-Oct-2016 - Silver nanoparticles have a wide array of uses, one of which is to treat drinking water for harmful bacteria and viruses. But do silver nanoparticles also kill off potentially beneficial bacteria or cause other harmful effects to water-based ecosystems? A new paper from a team of University of ...

New trigger for self-powered mechanical movement

01-Mar-2016 - A new way to use the chemical reactions of certain enzymes to trigger self-powered mechanical movement has been developed by a team of researchers at Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh. "These pumps provide precise control over flow rate without the aid of an external power ...

Arsenic risk in China's groundwater

27-Aug-2013 - A new model to predict the risk of contaminants in groundwater will save those who use it significant time and money, highlighting drinking water quality issues in the process. This model is currently being implemented in China to determine the spread of groundwater contamination by ...