Physicists find misaligned carbon sheets yield unparalleled properties

A material composed of two one-atom-thick layers of carbon has grabbed the attention of physicists worldwide for its intriguing -- and potentially exploitable -- conductive properties. University of Texas at Dallas physicists are studying how the ability of twisted bilayer graphene to conduct electrical current changes in response to mid-infrared light.

'Drawn-on-skin' electronics offer breakthrough in wearable monitors

Researchers have reported a new form of electronics known as 'drawn-on-skin electronics,' allowing multifunctional sensors and circuits to be drawn on the skin with an ink pen.

New fabrication method brings single-crystal perovskite devices closer to viability

Nanoengineers have developed a new method to fabricate perovskites as single-crystal thin films, which are more efficient for use in solar cells and optical devices than the current state-of-the-art polycrystalline forms of the material. Their fabrication method -- which uses standard semiconductor fabrication processes -- results in flexible single-crystal perovskite films with controlled area, thickness, and composition.

New fabric could help keep you cool in the summer, even without A/C

Air conditioning and other space cooling methods account for about 10% of all electricity consumption in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Now, researchers have developed a material that cools the wearer without using any electricity. The fabric transfers heat, allows moisture to evaporate from the skin and repels water.

Transforming e-waste into a strong, protective coating for metal

A typical recycling process converts large quantities of items made of a single material into more of the same. However, this approach isn't feasible for old electronic devices, or ''e-waste,'' because they contain small amounts of many different materials that cannot be readily separated. Now researchers report a selective, small-scale microrecycling strategy, which they use to convert old printed circuit boards and monitor components into a new type of strong metal coating.

Metal-breathing bacteria could transform electronics, biosensors, and more

When the Shewanella oneidensis bacterium 'breathes' in certain metal and sulfur compounds anaerobically, the way an aerobic organism would process oxygen, it produces materials that could be used to enhance electronics, electrochemical energy storage, and drug-delivery devices. The ability of this bacterium to produce molybdenum disulfide -- a material that is able to transfer electrons easily, like graphene -- is the focus of new research.

New technology makes homes more energy independent, helps divert power during power outages

Researchers have designed a smart technology that can help utility companies better serve communities affected by power outages. The researchers said their single device works by improving energy delivery between home solar-power systems and the electrical grid.