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 ...

Image: Hubble captures a captivating spiral

This image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 5037, in the constellation of Virgo. First documented by William Herschel in 1785, the galaxy lies about 150 million light-years away from Earth. Despite this distance, we can see 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 ...

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