BESSY II: Phosphor chains - a 1D material with 1D electronic properties

23-Oct-2025 - For the first time, BESSY II has succeeded in experimentally demonstrating one-dimensional electronic properties in a material. The samples consisted of short chains of phosphorus atoms that form on a silver substrate in a self-organized manner at specific angles. Using a sophisticated analysis, ...

How MXenes truly work

Novel technique shines light on an exciting new nanomaterial with potential for better batteries, flexible electronics, and clean energy devices

07-Oct-2025 - Researchers have for the first time measured the true properties of individual MXene flakes — an exciting new nanomaterial with potential for better batteries, flexible electronics, and clean energy devices. By using a novel light-based technique called spectroscopic micro-ellipsometry, they ...

The Rising Danger of AI-Generated Images in Nanomaterials Science

Experts Warn

17-Sep-2025 - Out now in Nature Nanotechnology, Dr. Quinn A. Besford (IPF Dresden) leads a timely and urgent commentary on the rising dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in nanomaterials science and what can be done to address them. The piece draws attention to a concerning new reality: Even experienced ...

International Research Team Unlocks the Power of Passivation for Perovskite Silicon Tandem Solar Cells

11-Sep-2025 - An international research team of photovoltaics scientists has taken a crucial step toward the industrialization of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells. They demonstrated that passivation of the perovskite top cell is possible in combination with textured silicon bottom cells featuring large ...

The limits of AI in materials science

Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena reveal strengths and weaknesses of language-image models in scientific tasks

14-Aug-2025 - Current AI-based speech-image models can perceive content very well, but reach their limits when it comes to more complex scientific processes. This is shown by a recent study conducted by researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena in collaboration with international partners. In this ...

DECHEMA Research Institute to move at the end of 2025

Decision in favour of Bad Homburg

06-Aug-2025 - The DECHEMA Research Institute (DFI) will move its headquarters to Bad Homburg vor der Höhe at the end of 2025. The move is planned for November/December 2025 and represents a significant step for the institute. The new location in Bad Homburg offers the institute excellent infrastructural ...

Accelerating the Discovery of New Materials with AI

A multi-agent system acts as a creative partner, driving the development of durable, sustainable next-generation batteries

29-Jul-2025 - In a world-first for battery research, researchers from the University of Bayreuth and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have employed a so-called multi-agent network in battery design. This AI-based tool enables the rapid generation of promising proposals for new battery ...

Programmable DNA Moiré Superlattices: Expanding the Material Design Space at the Nanoscale

Broad implications across molecular engineering, nanophotonics, spintronics, and materials science

21-Jul-2025 - Researchers are creating new moiré materials at the nanometer scale using advanced DNA nanotechnology: DNA moiré superlattices form when two periodic DNA lattices are overlaid with a slight rotational twist or positional offset. This creates a new, larger interference pattern with completely ...

Utilizing sunlight more effectively: Web platform aims to accelerate discovery of novel photocatalytic materials

European Union funds CASUS research project with 850,000 euros

17-Jul-2025 - Solar energy can be used to generate electricity sustainably – and, in principle, it can also be harnessed to produce fundamental chemical compounds. However, the catalytic materials identified to date are not yet suitable for industrial-scale applications, as they often fail to meet critical ...

Computational trick enables better understanding of exotic state of matter

New process relevant for fusion and materials research

30-Jun-2025 - It can be found inside gas giants such as Jupiter and is briefly created during meteorite impacts or in laser fusion experiments: warm dense matter. This exotic state of matter combines features of solid, liquid and gaseous phases. Until now, simulating warm dense matter accurately has been ...