Researchers demonstrate new high-throughput method for discovering magnetic topology

24-Nov-2020

The electronic structure of nonmagnetic crystals can be classified by complete theories of band topology, reminiscent of a “topological periodic table.” However, such a classification for magnetic materials has so far been elusive, and hence very few magnetic topological materials have been ...

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Quantum molecular switches operate by hydrogen tunneling with some help

20-Nov-2020

The quantum dynamics of hydrogen is central to many problems in nature, being strongly influenced by the environment in which it takes place. In their contribution to PRL, members of the Lise Meitner Group at the MPSD address hydrogen transfer within a supported molecular switch, showing that the ...

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The idea is to use the power of bacteria to turn toxic waste gases into valuable compounds such as acetate or ethanol

19-Nov-2020

Carbon monoxide is a very poisonous gas. Humans die within minutes when they inhale it. However, some microorganisms tolerate carbon monoxide and even use it to breathe and replicate. Knowledge about how these bacteria survive opens a window into the primeval times of the earth and the origin of ...

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A new way to design materials

16-Nov-2020

Crystal symmetry is one of the decisive physical attributes that determines the properties of a material. In particular, the behaviour of an electron is largely affected by the symmetry of the crystal which in turn governs the fundamental behaviour of the material, such as its conductive or ...

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Remarkable and unexpected insights into the workings of the biological system: Quantum chemical calculations illuminate excited states of chlorophyll molecules

30-Oct-2020

The sun sustains all life on earth through photosynthesis, the process by which plants and other organisms convert the energy of sunlight into chemical energy, stored in the bonds of organic molecules. A central challenge of modern science is to replicate this process using synthetic catalysts, ...

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How to design organic solar cell materials

29-Oct-2020

A collaboration of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P) in Germany and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia have recently scrutinized organic solar cells and derived design rules for light-absorbing dyes that can help to ...

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It’s all about good cooperation

12-Oct-2020

By splitting water electrochemically, green hydrogen can be produced, which can be used as fuel, energy storage and for chemical reactions. This way, we can decrease our dependence on fossil resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the electrolysis of water consumes a lot of ...

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30 seconds of illuminationis enough and the microswimmer has power for about half an hour

07-Oct-2020

The propulsion resulting from external sources of energy makes microswimmers highly attractive, active devices that show great promise for potential applications in fields of biomedical and environmental technology. Targeted drug delivery in hard-to-reach areas of the body is one example. Another ...

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The groove of the self-organized active nematic ribbon

29-Sep-2020

Nematic materials, such as the liquid crystals in our displays, contain molecules that align themselves in parallel. When they are constructed from microtubules and kinesins, materials found in our cells, they become active and move and deform without the supply of energy from the outside. In a ...

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An understanding of microscopic processes in perovskite solar cells can lead to increased efficiency

22-Sep-2020

When the sun rises, a complex dance begins in perovskite solar cells - a type of solar cell that can supplement or replace existing silicon solar cells in the future: Electrons are supplied with energy by light and move. Where electrons move, they leave holes. At the same time, ions move around ...

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