Quantum Server Newsletter on the latest news in Materials Science research

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 Aqueous batteries have long been hailed as safer alternatives to lithium-ion systems thanks to their water-based electrolytes. However, their adoption has been limited by lower energy densities—until now. A breakthrough study led by Prof. Pan Feng at Peking University reveals how hydrogen-bond network engineering can unlock faster charging, higher capacities, and safer batteries for a sustainable energy future. Protons: The Ideal Charge Carrier Unlike lithium (Li⁺) or sodium (Na⁺), protons (H⁺) are light and highly mobile. They move through materials not by simple diffusion but via a Grotthuss-type mechanism , hopping across hydrogen bonds at lightning speed. This ultra-fast “diffusion-free” transport makes protons promising candidates for next-generation aqueous batteries. Published in Matter , the study titled "Proton storage and transfer in aqueous batteries" delves into how protons interact with hydrogen bonds, revealing ...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 Tin-based catalysts (Sn) hold tremendous promise in driving sustainable energy solutions, particularly for converting CO₂ into carbon-based fuels using renewable electricity. Yet, the intricate relationship between their structure and catalytic performance has remained elusive—until now. A new study from Tohoku University's Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) leverages machine learning (ML) to map the pH-dependent performance of these catalysts, offering vital insights for designing next-generation energy technologies. The Importance of Tin Catalysts Sn catalysts are key players in the CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) , a process that transforms greenhouse gases into useful fuels and chemicals. However, understanding how these catalysts behave under different pH conditions is critical for maximizing their efficiency in real-world applications. Traditional experimental approaches have been slow and costly, creating a bo...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 Methane pyrolysis is gaining attention as a promising technology to produce clean hydrogen without emitting carbon dioxide. Yet, the process’s industrial implementation faces challenges—mainly due to the high temperatures required for molten catalyst systems. A groundbreaking study, recently published in ACS Catalysis , explores how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing catalyst discovery to make this technology more efficient and scalable. Why Methane Pyrolysis Matters Hydrogen is critical to decarbonizing sectors like transportation and industry. Methane (CH₄) pyrolysis splits methane into hydrogen and solid carbon, avoiding CO₂ emissions. However, molten media catalysts, though promising, demand energy-intensive conditions that slow adoption. Recent breakthroughs indicate that multicomponent molten systems—binary, ternary, or quaternary mixtures—can enable methane pyrolysis at moderate temperature...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 Terahertz (THz) technology is emerging as a key enabler for next-generation imaging, quantum information systems, and ultra-fast wireless communication. Yet, progress has been hampered by a lack of fast, broadband, and sensitive detectors. In a breakthrough published in Nature Electronics , researchers unveiled a promising solution: photodetectors based on tantalum iridium telluride ( TaIrTe₄ ), a 2D-correlated topological semimetal with unique nonlinear properties. The Promise of TaIrTe₄ THz radiation lies between microwave and infrared frequencies and resonates with quantum material excitations and biological vibrations. The newly developed TaIrTe₄ devices exhibit a nonlinear Hall effect , enabling highly sensitive detection without requiring external magnetic fields. This makes them a game-changer in applications like biomedical sensing and high-speed data transmission. "THz technology is critical because its frequencies resonat...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 Understanding how materials break and deform is one of the great challenges in modern materials science, especially for amorphous solids like glass and polymers. Unlike crystalline materials, which have a neat lattice structure, glasses are disordered and chaotic, making it difficult to pinpoint their weak spots. Now, researchers have made a breakthrough by discovering hedgehog topological defects in 3D glasses—an innovation that could pave the way for designing stronger, more resilient materials. What Are Hedgehog Defects? The study, published in Nature Communications , was led by Dr. Alessio Zaccone from the University of Milano and his team. They identified point-like distortions in a vector field—where atomic displacements radiate outward or inward like the spines of a hedgehog. These defects, long studied in soft matter physics and liquid crystals, are now being applied to the study of 3D amorphous solids for the first time. By si...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 In an era where every atom counts, a breakthrough from scientists in the UK promises to redefine how we use precious and rare metals. Researchers at the University of Nottingham , in collaboration with leading institutions like the University of Birmingham and Diamond Light Source, have developed a pioneering method to precisely position metal atoms using argon plasma . Their work, recently published in Advanced Science , could make green technologies far more sustainable by eliminating waste at the atomic level. A Quantum Leap for Materials Science Precious metals are indispensable for catalysis in industries ranging from hydrogen production to carbon capture. However, their scarcity poses a growing challenge. Conventional methods often lead to significant waste, with valuable atoms forming inefficient 3D clusters. This new technique creates atomic “vacancies” on carbon surfaces by bombarding them with fast-moving argon ions. These vacan...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 Magnets are part of our daily lives, from powering electric motors to preserving travel memories as refrigerator souvenirs. But beneath their familiar utility lies a quantum mystery that physicists have worked to unravel for nearly a century. Now, researchers have uncovered how an exotic quantum excitation—a lone spinon —can emerge in magnetic materials, offering fresh insight into quantum magnetism and potential breakthroughs in future technologies like quantum computing. What Is a Spinon? The concept of a spinon traces back to fundamental quantum mechanics. While an electron’s spin is usually seen as an indivisible property, physicists Ludwig Faddeev and Leon Takhtajan predicted in the 1980s that in certain quantum systems, the spin might behave as if it were split into two independent entities. These quasi-particles, called spinons , carry a spin of 1/2 and have been observed forming in pairs—but until now, a single spinon had not been...

By Quantum Server Networks | July 2025 In the picturesque hills of Italy, European researchers are pioneering a revolution in computing that could reshape science and technology as we know it. By using light and glass, they are charting a new course in the race to build scalable and powerful quantum computers . The project, known as QLASS (Quantum Light and Structured Substrates), is at the forefront of this innovation. Led by a diverse team across France, Italy, and Germany, their mission is ambitious: to harness the properties of glass and photons to build a new generation of photonic quantum computers. The Rise of Photonic Quantum Computing Traditional computers process information using the movement of electrons in silicon chips. But as we approach the physical limits of silicon-based technologies, researchers are exploring radically different approaches. Enter photonic quantum computing , where light particles—photons—replace electrons to perform calculations at unprec...

Quantum computers promise to revolutionize technology by tackling problems that are currently unsolvable, but they face a formidable obstacle: decoherence, the loss of fragile quantum information. A promising solution lies in topological quantum computing , which encodes information in protected states known as Majorana modes . Yet, finding materials that can host these exotic states has been one of the great challenges of modern physics—until now. A collaborative effort between researchers in the US and Ireland has led to the development of a groundbreaking tool: a modified scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) with a superconducting tip. This innovative device maps subtle features of a material’s internal quantum state, offering a new route to identifying topological superconductors capable of supporting Majorana modes. The Quest for Majorana Modes Majorana particles, theorized to be their own antiparticles, have captured the imagination of physicists ...

Discovering new semiconductor materials that can boost the efficiency of solar cells and next-generation electronics has long been a bottlenecked process, slowed by manual testing and characterization. Now, researchers at MIT have developed an autonomous robotic probe that can rapidly measure a crucial property—photoconductance—allowing scientists to accelerate innovation in materials science. This fully autonomous system integrates robotics, machine learning, and materials science expertise to perform contact-based electrical measurements with unprecedented precision and speed. By automating the process of probing materials, the robotic system allows researchers to gather vast datasets critical for developing high-performance semiconductors, particularly for solar energy applications. The Need for Speed in Materials Discovery Photoconductance—how responsive a material is to light—is a key property for semiconductors used in photovoltaics and optoelect...

A revolution in materials science is underway at the intersection of biology and engineering. Researchers at the University of California San Diego have unveiled a groundbreaking approach to creating engineered living materials (ELMs) —hybrids of synthetic polymers and living microbes—that promises to unlock a new generation of sustainable, adaptive materials. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , this innovative technique allows scientists to embed living microbes into polymers after the materials have been formed, vastly expanding the types of polymers that can be used to create ELMs. What Are Engineered Living Materials? ELMs combine the resilience and versatility of synthetic polymers with the dynamic properties of living organisms. These materials can sense and respond to their environment, heal themselves after damage, and even perform specialized tasks like cleaning pollutants or releasing oxygen into wounds. Trad...

Imagine spacecraft becoming floating factories, using laser beams to form metals into precise shapes while orbiting Earth. This once futuristic concept is now coming closer to reality thanks to the groundbreaking NOM4D project , a collaboration between the University of Florida, DARPA, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. At the forefront of this effort is Dr. Victoria Miller , an associate professor of materials science and engineering at UF, and her team of Ph.D. students. Together, they are pioneering the use of laser forming in microgravity to enable the construction of massive structures directly in orbit, bypassing the size and weight constraints of Earth-bound launches. A New Frontier in Space Manufacturing The NOM4D (Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design) initiative is set to revolutionize how we build in space. Instead of launching fully assembled satellites, antennas, or even parts of space stations fro...

A groundbreaking development in materials science and biology has emerged with the application of Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy (BLS) . This innovative technique allows researchers to measure a material’s stiffness using light, enabling unprecedented insights into the elastic properties of materials down to the cellular level. Published in Nature Photonics , a new report highlights how BLS is being adopted by scientists worldwide to understand and characterize materials without physical contact or damage. At its core, this method measures tiny vibrations called phonons in a material by detecting subtle color shifts in laser light. These shifts reveal critical data about elasticity and sound speed within the material, opening doors to applications across physics, engineering, and life sciences. Transforming Materials Characterization Traditional methods of assessing stiffness often involve invasive mechanical probing or complex imaging. BLS revo...

Soft materials—substances that can be easily bent, compressed, or deformed—are integral to many aspects of our daily lives, from the lotions we apply to the batteries that power our devices. Despite their ubiquity, their microscopic behavior under stress has long remained elusive. Now, a groundbreaking study has shed new light on these enigmatic materials, bringing scientists one step closer to mastering their use in cutting-edge technologies. A research team led by Dr. Esther García-Tuñón from the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with the University of New South Wales, has successfully mapped the internal deformations of liquid crystals in real time . Published in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science , their study introduces an innovative use of rheo-microscopy to observe how these materials respond to stress at the microscopic level. The Science Behind Soft Materials Soft materials encompass a wide range of substances, including gels...

Managing radioactive waste remains one of the most critical challenges in advancing nuclear energy technology. In particular, radioactive iodine—especially isotope I-129—presents a long-lasting environmental hazard due to its extreme toxicity, high mobility, and a half-life exceeding 15 million years. Now, researchers in South Korea have leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to discover a powerful new material capable of removing radioactive iodine from contaminated environments. This breakthrough, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials , could revolutionize nuclear waste management and environmental remediation strategies globally. AI Accelerates Materials Discovery A team led by Professor Ho Jin Ryu from the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, in collaboration with Dr. Juhwan Noh at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, adopted a machine learning approach to design new materials for iodine adsorption....

Colonizing Mars has long been the dream of scientists, engineers, and science fiction enthusiasts alike. But beyond getting to the Red Planet, a crucial challenge remains: how do we build sustainable habitats using only local resources? A groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering introduces an ingenious solution—creating living bricks using synthetic lichens that transform Martian dust into sturdy building materials. A Bio-Manufacturing Revolution Led by Dr. Congrui Grace Jin at Texas A&M University, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the research team has developed a self-growing technology that combines heterotrophic fungi and photoautotrophic cyanobacteria into a synthetic lichen system. This bioengineered community autonomously converts Martian regolith—the planet’s mixture of dust, sand, and rock—into consolidated materials suitable for construction. Unlike pre...

What if human waste could help build healthier bodies and more sustainable materials? In a fascinating breakthrough, researchers have devised a method to convert human urine into hydroxyapatite, the hard mineral found in bones and teeth. This innovation, detailed in a recent article on Live Science , holds promise for medical implants, biodegradable plastics, and even eco-friendly construction materials. A Biological Alchemy The research, funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), uses genetically modified yeast to break down urea—a major component of urine—into hydroxyapatite. This mineral is prized in medical applications because it integrates well with human bone tissue, making it ideal for implants. Dr. David Kisailus, professor of materials science at the University of California, Irvine, explains: "This process achieves two goals at the same time. It helps remove human urine from wastewater streams, m...

The field of materials science is witnessing a paradigm shift with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in predicting the evolution of microstructures in polycrystalline materials. A recent breakthrough published in Nature Scientific Reports demonstrates a novel AI-driven framework that leverages deep learning to forecast microstructural textures based on processing parameters, achieving unprecedented speed and accuracy. The AI Revolution in Materials Science Polycrystalline materials form the backbone of modern industries, from aerospace and automotive to electronics and energy. The microstructure of these materials—essentially the arrangement of their grains and crystallographic orientations—directly influences their mechanical and physical properties. Traditionally, simulating or experimentally determining how processing parameters (like heat treatment, strain rate, or deformation) influence these microstructures has been an ardu...

Quantum computing has long been heralded as a game-changer for scientific research, offering the potential to perform computations far beyond the reach of classical machines. One of the most exciting frontiers lies in materials science and quantum chemistry, where accurate simulations of molecular systems could unlock breakthroughs in drug discovery, energy storage, and the design of next-generation materials. In a recent study, researchers Nicholas P. Bauman, Muqing Zheng, Chenxu Liu, and their team from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Washington presented a novel approach to tackle the inherent limitations of current quantum hardware. Their paper, titled “Coupled Cluster Downfolding Theory in Simulations of Chemical Systems on Quantum Hardware” , introduces a hybrid classical-quantum methodology to simulate complex molecular systems with unprecedented efficiency. Hybrid Classical-Quantum Algorithms: A Path Forward The primary challenge in q...