Quantum Server Newsletter on the latest news in Materials Science research

By Quantum Server Networks Graphene, the celebrated “wonder material” composed of a single layer of carbon atoms, has once again defied expectations. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan, have observed electrons in graphene behaving like a frictionless quantum fluid . The discovery, reported in Nature Physics and summarized by Phys.org , challenges established textbook rules and opens new avenues for quantum technologies. Image: Artistic rendering of electrons flowing as a fluid in graphene. Credit: Aniket Majumdar Breaking the Wiedemann–Franz Law In ordinary metals, the Wiedemann–Franz law states that electrical and thermal conductivity are proportional: if electrons carry charge efficiently, they should also carry heat efficiently. Yet in ultra-clean graphene samples, the IISc team observed the opposite. As electri...

By Quantum Server Networks Imagine controlling the fundamental properties of electronic materials not with wires or circuits, but with beams of light. A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications and reported by Phys.org demonstrates just that: researchers at the European XFEL in Schenefeld, Germany, have shown that ferroelectric materials can be manipulated on ultrafast timescales using laser pulses. This breakthrough paves the way for a new generation of faster, energy-efficient memory and computing devices. Image: Photoinduced structural dynamics in ferroelectric BaTiO₃. Credit: Nature Communications (2025) What Are Ferroelectric Materials? Ferroelectrics are crystalline materials in which positive and negative charges are slightly displaced, creating a built-in electric field known as spontaneous polarization . This polarization can be reversed by applying an external electric field, making f...

By Quantum Server Networks Ice is one of Earth’s most familiar materials, yet it continues to reveal surprising secrets. A recent study published in Nature Physics and reported by Phys.org shows that ordinary ice is a flexoelectric material , meaning it can generate electricity when bent or deformed. This discovery not only advances our understanding of frozen water but could also have profound implications for both natural phenomena and future technologies. Image: Flexoelectricity in ice electrification events. Credit: Nature Physics (2025) The Discovery: Ice as a Flexoelectric Material The research, co-led by the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) , Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Stony Brook University, demonstrates that ice generates an electric charge when subjected to uneven mechanical stress. Unlike piezoelectric materials, which create charge when compressed, ice responds to bending ...

By Quantum Server Networks A team of researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has unveiled a highly stretchable and conductive polymer foam sensor capable of detecting a wide range of motion with remarkable sensitivity. Their breakthrough, published in Materials Today Physics , represents a significant step forward in flexible electronics, human–robot interaction, and wearable health monitoring devices. Image: The POE/CNS foam sensor with segregated structure. Credit: NIMTE The Science Behind the Sensor At the core of this innovation is a polyolefin elastomer (POE) combined with carbon nanostructures (CNS) . Using a supercritical CO₂ foaming technique, the researchers engineered a porous, segregated composite that reconstructs the conductive network inside the foam. This unique architecture grants the sensor: Stretchab...

By Quantum Server Networks A new study published in Nature Communications showcases how machine learning (ML) can revolutionize the prediction of optoelectronic properties, enabling researchers to leap across the “Jacob’s Ladder” of computational methods with unprecedented efficiency. This research, carried out by Malte Grunert, Max Großmann, and Erich Runge from the Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany, demonstrates how transfer learning allows ML models to reach high-fidelity accuracy with only a fraction of the costly calculations typically required. Image: Illustration of Jacob’s Ladder in optoelectronic properties (© Nature Communications, 2025) Understanding Jacob’s Ladder in Materials Science In density functional theory (DFT), the “Jacob’s Ladder” is a metaphor introduced by John Perdew to describe the hierarchy of increasingly accurate – but computationally expensive – methods for calculating the pro...

Published on Quantum Server Networks – September 2025 Magnetism has long been at the heart of electronics, from data storage to sensors and spintronics. Now, researchers from Osaka University and Tohoku University have unveiled a revolutionary approach: creating stretchable nanofilms with tunable magnetic properties . Their findings, reported in Phys.org , could redefine how future electronic devices are designed and optimized. The Breakthrough: Programming Magnetism at the Atomic Level Traditionally, tailoring the magnetic properties of thin films requires complex fabrication methods and restricted material choices. The new method sidesteps these hurdles by leveraging the natural flexibility of substrates at the nanoscale . Researchers deposited ultrathin cobalt films (~3 nm thick) onto pre-stretched substrates. When the substrate was relaxed, atomic spacing contracted—directly embedding magnetic anisotropy into the material. This “built-in strain e...

Published on Quantum Server Networks – September 2025 Plastic pollution is no longer confined to landfills, oceans, and visible litter on our streets. According to a recent report on Phys.org , microplastics are now infiltrating nearly every corner of our environment – and alarmingly, even our own bodies. These tiny fragments of plastic are being discovered in organs, blood, and even the human brain. The findings highlight an urgent challenge for scientists, policymakers, and society as a whole. What Are Microplastics? Microplastics are fragments of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. When they become even smaller than one micrometer, they are classified as nanoplastics . Sources include household trash, industrial waste, food packaging, textiles, and even the breakdown of car tires. Every year, an estimated 3 million metric tons of microplastics enter the global environment – that’s more than 8,000 tons every single day. How Do They Enter Our Bodies? ...

By Quantum Server Networks Nuclear fusion has long been heralded as the holy grail of clean energy — a process that could one day provide humanity with nearly limitless power without the long-lived radioactive waste associated with fission. Yet, as a recent report in Gizmodo highlights, even the tiniest imperfections at the materials level could be delaying this long-awaited breakthrough. The Problem with Diamond Capsules At facilities like the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California, fusion experiments rely on ultra-precise diamond capsules to hold deuterium and tritium, isotopes of hydrogen. Powerful lasers compress these capsules to extreme pressures, ideally producing a symmetrical implosion capable of triggering fusion. However, as described in a recent Matter journal paper, diamond is not as flawless as once believed. Under shock pressures of about 115 gigapascals — more than 100 million times atmospheric pressure — researchers observed ...

Published on Quantum Server Networks A team of Chinese researchers has achieved a major breakthrough in thermal insulation technology by developing a new carbon nanotube-based film that can resist temperatures up to 4,712°F (2,600°C) —far beyond the performance of conventional insulators. This innovation, reported by Interesting Engineering , could have transformative applications in aerospace, energy, and advanced manufacturing industries. The Challenge of Extreme Heat When spacecraft re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, when hypersonic aircraft travel at several times the speed of sound, or when reactors operate at extreme temperatures, they face immense thermal stress. Conventional insulation materials begin to fail at around 1,500°C (2,732°F) , leaving a critical technological gap for industries working at the frontier of temperature extremes. At these temperatures, heat transfer is dominated not only by conduction but also by radiation —the transfer of t...

Posted on Quantum Server Networks Hydrogen is widely seen as a cornerstone of the clean energy transition , offering a sustainable fuel that emits only water upon use. Yet, producing hydrogen efficiently and cost-effectively remains one of the great scientific and technological challenges. Researchers at Beijing University of Technology have now unveiled a nanowire-based catalyst that could dramatically improve the efficiency and durability of hydrogen production technologies. The Challenge of Hydrogen Evolution One of the most promising methods for clean hydrogen generation is proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis . However, it requires catalysts that can withstand harsh acidic conditions while remaining efficient and affordable. Precious metals like platinum perform well but are scarce and expensive. Non-noble metal catalysts, though cheaper, tend to degrade quickly in acidic environments. The Breakthrough: NiCoP@Ag Nanowires The Beijing team h...

Posted on Quantum Server Networks What if the seaweed washing up in vast amounts along beaches could be turned from an ecological nuisance into a building block for the future? Brazilian researchers have recently demonstrated just that, developing a seaweed-infused ceramic clay that is lighter, greener, and more sustainable than conventional construction materials. Their work could help mitigate the environmental crisis caused by sargassum accumulation while reducing the ecological footprint of the construction industry. From Beach Waste to Building Material Brown algae of the Sargassum genus have become a pressing environmental challenge across the Caribbean, United States, and northern Brazil. These algae wash ashore in massive quantities, producing toxic gases as they decompose and disrupting ecosystems, tourism, and local economies. Typically, sargassum is simply collected and dumped in landfills. But a team led by Prof. João Adriano Rossi...

Posted on Quantum Server Networks How do we design materials that are both strong and tough ? For decades, engineers have struggled with this paradox: increasing strength often reduces toughness, and vice versa. Nature, however, has solved this challenge elegantly through biological composites such as bone, teeth, and nacre , which combine soft and hard components in hierarchical architectures. Inspired by these systems, researchers have developed artificial soft–hard composites (SH-coms) —materials that outperform their individual constituents. Yet the fundamental mechanisms behind their remarkable properties have remained elusive. The Breakthrough: A Minimal 3D Framework A team from Hokkaido University and the University of Toyama , including Dr. Fucheng Tian, Prof. Jian Ping Gong, and Prof. Katsuhiko Sato, has now introduced a minimal 3D model of SH-coms that distills the essence of toughening. Published in Proceedings of the National Acad...

Posted on Quantum Server Networks In the era of wearable electronics, robotics, and personalized health monitoring , the ability to sense and respond to touch with precision is becoming increasingly critical. Tactile sensors—devices that convert pressure or force into electrical signals—are the cornerstone of these applications, enabling robots to grip objects gently, prosthetics to regain sensation, and smart wearables to monitor health metrics. A new study from researchers at the Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech) has introduced a revolutionary approach using 3D-printed auxetic metamaterials to significantly boost tactile sensor performance. The Power of Auxetic Metamaterials Traditional tactile sensors often face trade-offs between sensitivity, stability, and integration . Mechanical metamaterials—engineered structures with unique mechanical responses—are emerging as a solution. Among these, auxetic metamaterial...

Posted on Quantum Server Networks One of the grand challenges in the pursuit of clean energy technologies lies in overcoming the performance and stability limitations of catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) . These devices, which convert chemical energy from hydrogen into electricity, are central to the future of sustainable transportation, renewable energy integration, and low-carbon power systems. A recent breakthrough by a team led by Prof. Dan Wang (Shenzhen University) and Prof. Zhang Suojiang (Chinese Academy of Sciences) has introduced a radically new approach: inner curved-surface single-atom iron catalysts (CS Fe/N-C) with nanoconfined hollow multishelled structures (HoMS). The Problem with Traditional Catalysts In conventional platinum-group-metal (PGM)-free catalysts, performance degradation arises from strong binding with oxygen intermediates, slow reaction kinetics, and susceptibility to Fenton reactions (e....

Posted on Quantum Server Networks The race toward faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient computing devices has long been driven by breakthroughs in material science. Among the most promising frontiers lies the field of spintronics —a branch of electronics that leverages the quantum property of electron spin, in addition to charge, to store and process information. Recent research led by scientists from Tohoku University , the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) , and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has revealed a groundbreaking step forward: antiferromagnets can outperform ferromagnets in ultrafast, energy-efficient memory operations. From Ferromagnets to Antiferromagnets: A Paradigm Shift Conventional ferromagnetic materials , used in technologies like hard drives and magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), align spins in the same direction, producing a net magnetic field. This property allows them to store binary informat...