'Molecular movie' captures chemical reaction on atomic scale

09-Jul-2018 - A team of physicists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Stanford University and Europe has captured the clearest glimpse yet of a photochemical reaction - the type of light-fueled molecular transformations responsible for photosynthesis, vision and the ozone layer. The researchers precisely ...

Technique doubles conversion of CO2 to plastic component

24-May-2018 - Fossil fuels have long been the precursor to plastic, but new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and European collaborators could help send that era up in smoke - carbon dioxide, to be exact. Produced almost entirely from burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide concentrations in the ...

UV laser photolyses to enhance diamond growth

26-Jan-2018 - Energy influences the rates of chemical reactions dramatically. Simply heating a gas-phase reaction system deposits energy indiscriminately in internal and translational motions of precursor and intermediate molecules. More specific excitations of energy states in the molecules can control the ...

Nice ice, maybe: Study finds water-repelling surfaces ease ice removal

19-Oct-2017 - Water-repellent surfaces and coatings could make ice removal a literal breeze by forcing ice to grow up rather than just skate by, says a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and several Chinese institutions. The researchers discovered that ice grows differently on absorbent vs. ...

Technique could aid mass production of biodegradable plastic

01-Sep-2017 - Introducing a simple step to the production of plant-derived, biodegradable plastic could improve its properties while overcoming obstacles to manufacturing it commercially, says new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Jiangnan University. That step? Bringing the heat Nebraska's ...

Are magnets the secret to Elastigirl's powers?

Elasticity could be adjusted with the touch of a dial

21-Jul-2017 - If Plastic Man, Elastigirl or Mr. Fantastic ever encounter Magneto, they'd better hope the iconic X-Men figure hasn't read the latest research from Christian Binek. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln physicist has found that, under certain conditions, the magnetic properties of a material can ...

Deciphering the nanoscale architecture of a beetle's shell

24-Feb-2017 - Beetles wear a body armor that should weigh them down -- think medieval knights and turtles. In fact, those hard shells protecting delicate wings are surprisingly light, allowing even flight. Better understanding the structure and properties of beetle exoskeletons could help scientists engineer ...

Researcher finds gold - and other metals

Gold sensor is latest in a series of metal-detecting biosensors

22-Feb-2016 - Instead of a pan and a pick ax, prospectors of the future might seek gold with a hand-held biosensor that uses a component of DNA to detect traces of the element in water. The gold sensor is the latest in a series of metal-detecting biosensors under development by Rebecca Lai, an associate ...

A new form of frozen water?

Could it be the 18th known form of ice?

16-Feb-2016 - Amid the season known for transforming Nebraska into an outdoor ice rink, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln-led research team has predicted a new molecular form of the slippery stuff that even Mother Nature has never borne. The proposed ice would be about 25 percent less dense than a record-low ...

X-ray vision? Laser-derived X-ray method finds hidden nuclear materials

23-Dec-2015 - Physicists at the Diocles Extreme Light Laboratory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have demonstrated that their unconventional laser-based X-ray machine could provide a new defense against nuclear terrorism. In proof-of-principle experiments, the UNL scientists used the laser-driven X-ray ...