Where there’s muck there’s aluminium (if not brass)

Graphene: A 2D materials revolution

Graphene is a two-dimensional material made up of sheets of carbon atoms. With its combination of exceptional electrical, mechanical and thermal properties, graphene has the potential to revolutionise industries ranging from healthcare to electronics. more

Nanomaterials Up Close: Gum Arabic

This alien glob is a piece of gum arabic from the hardened sap of the Acacia tree, most likely collected from a tree in Sudan. Rox Middleton, from the University of Cambridge, explains how the electron microscope has changed the way we are able to interact with objects at the nanoscale, all ... more

Machine learning algorithm predicts how to get the most out of electric vehicle batteries

Researchers have developed a machine learning algorithm that could help reduce charging times and prolong battery life in electric vehicles by predicting how different driving patterns affect battery performance, improving safety and reliability. The researchers, from the University of Camb ... more

Algorithm learns to correct 3D printing errors for different parts, materials and systems

Engineers have created intelligent 3D printers that can quickly detect and correct errors, even in previously unseen designs, or unfamiliar materials like ketchup and mayonnaise, by learning from the experiences of other machines. The engineers, from the University of Cambridge, developed a ... more

Single-atom tractor beams power chemical catalysis

By trapping light into tiny gaps only a few atoms wide, a team from the NanoPhotonics Centre has magnified optical forces a thousand-fold, strong enough to force atoms into positions that drive chemical reactions more efficiently. “We found a new way to beef up the forces from light, enough ... more