Category Technology/Electronics

Experimental results for dried films formed of a binary mixture of colloidal particles of size ratio 7:1.

Researchers from the University of Surrey in collaboration with the Université Claude Bernard, Lyon used computer simulation and materials experiments to show how when coatings with different sized particles, such as paints dry, the coating spontaneously forms two layers. This mechanism can be used to control the properties at the top and bottom of coatings independently, which could help increase performance of coatings across industries as diverse as beauty and pharmaceuticals.

Dr Andrea Fortini explained: “When coatings such as paint, ink or even outer layers on tablets are made, they work by spreading a liquid containing solid particles onto a surface, and allowing the liquid to e...

By simply shining the right color of light on the graphene, contaminants and light-sensitive soap mixture, the graphene clusters together and sinks; shining a different color of light re-disperses it for re-use. Credit: Monash University

A simple effective way of capturing graphenes and the toxins, contaminants they attract from water by using light has been found. The findings could have significant implications for large-scale water purification. A small amount of a special light-sensitive soap was added to the water containing the graphenes and contaminants. The soap changes its molecular structure when light of a particular colour is shone onto it...

A new strategy helps quantum bits stay on task. Credit: Image courtesy of Florida State University

Development of quantum computers may be expedited by collaboration between physicists and chemists. Quantum computer power will dwarf that of today’s machines, with huge implications for cryptography, computational chemistry and other fields. While qubits can take many different forms, the MagLab team worked with carefully designed tungsten oxide molecules that contained a single magnetic holmium ion. The magnetic electrons associated with each holmium ion circulate either clockwise or counterclockwise around the axis of the molecule. These spin states are analogous to the “0s” and “1s” of computer bits...

Superconducting currents during reading various states of the memory cell are shown. The greater current the larger arrow. Credit: Authors of the study

Golubov et al have proposed creating basic memory cells based on quantum effects in “sandwiches” of a superconductor – dielectric (or other insulating material), which were predicted in the 1960s by the British physicist Brian Josephson. The electrons in these “sandwiches” (they are called “Josephson junctions”) are able to tunnel from one layer of a superconductor to another, passing through the dielectric like balls passing through a perforated wall.

“With the operational function that we have proposed in these memory cells, there will be no need for time-consuming magnetization and demagnetization processes...