Scientists mix and match properties to make new superconductor with chiral structure

Fine tuning crystal symmetry and superconductivity using solid solution methods

06-Feb-2024 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new superconductor with a chiral crystalline structure by mixing two materials, one with superconductivity but no chirality, another with chirality but no superconductivity. The new platinum-iridium-zirconium compound transitions to a ...

Scientists upcycle polyesters through new waste-free, scalable process

Turning plastic waste into versatile building blocks for organic chemistry

10-Oct-2023 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new chemical process which upcycles polyesters, including PET in plastic bottles, to morpholine amide, a versatile and valuable building block for synthesizing a vast range of compounds. The reaction is high yield, waste-free, does ...

Scientists thread rows of metal atoms into nanofiber bundles

Intercalation of indium into nanostructures promises applications to nanocircuitry

13-Mar-2023 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have successfully threaded atoms of indium metal in between individual fibers in bundles of transition metal chalcogenide nanofibers. By steeping the bundles in indium gas, rows of atoms were able to make their way in between the fibers to create a ...

Damage-free way to gauge the health of next-gen batteries for electric vehicles

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows how solid-state lithium metal batteries degrade

20-Sep-2022 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have demonstrated that electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) can be a powerful non-destructive tool to study the degradation mechanisms of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. They studied ceramic-based all-solid-state Li metal batteries ...

Scientists unravel mysterious mechanism behind “whisker crystal” growth

Whisker-thin nanofilaments trail bubbles to grow

28-Jun-2022 - Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered the mechanism behind the rapid growth of ultra-thin nanowires or “whiskers” in organic compounds. Nanowires are both a desirable technological innovation and a hazard when they short electronics: understanding how they grow is crucial ...

Ionic liquids make a splash in next-gen solid-state lithium metal batteries

Quasi-solid-state-electrodes realize a significant reduction in interfacial resistance

22-Mar-2022 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new quasi-solid-state cathode for solid-state lithium metal batteries, with significantly reduced interfacial resistance between the cathode and a solid electrolyte. By adding an ionic liquid, their modified cathode could maintain ...

Breaking down how “single-atom” catalysts help remove organic pollutants

Mechanistic insights into state-of-the-art iron -based catalysts

08-Mar-2022 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered key clues behind the workings of “single-atom” catalysts based on iron-pyridine sites in a carbon matrix. They firstly developed a new, simple synthesis method for a catalyst that activate peroxymonosulfate, highly effective in ...

Tweezers of sound can pick objects up without physical contact

Hemispherical array of ultrasound transducers lifts objects off reflective surfaces

27-Jul-2021 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new technology which allows non-contact manipulation of small objects using sound waves. They used a hemispherical array of ultrasound transducers to generate a 3D acoustic fields which stably trapped and lifted a small polystyrene ...

Solving the thermoelectric 'trade-off' conundrum with metallic carbon nanotubes

04-Dec-2019 - Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used aligned "metallic" carbon nanotubes to create a device which converts heat to electrical energy (a thermoelectric device) with a higher power output than pure semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in random networks. The new device bypasses ...

'Dancing' holes in droplets submerged in water-ethanol mixtures

03-Jul-2018 - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have observed the formation of holes that move by themselves in droplets of ionic liquids (IL) sitting inside water-ethanol mixtures. This curious, complex phenomenon is driven by an interplay between how ionic liquids dissolve, and how the boundary ...