Researchers at the College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, with collaborators from across several different institutions, have demonstrated two distinct methods to overcome the disorder that has long limited the electronic quality of graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon By reducing the uneven distribution of charge caused by defects, researchers used two methods — precisely controlling the twist-angle engineering with adjustable electrical screening, and applying ultra-thin metallic layers — to produce ultra-clean graphene with record-high mobilities. These advances enabled quantum effects to appear even under very weak magnetic fields, thus opening new possibilities for quantum technologies and ultra-fast electronics.

A study published in National Science Review shows that alkali metal cations (AM⁺) in electrolytes can effectively steer the product selectivity of oxygen reduction catalyzed on Co-N₄ sites. As the cation size increases from Li⁺ to Cs⁺, the ORR pathway transits from the generation of hydrogen peroxide via the 2e^- process to the generation of water via a combined 2e^- + 2e^- process. In situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) provides direct evidence that larger cations stabilize reaction intermediates (HO₂^-) and promote its further reduction. This work demonstrates an effective and practical strategy to modulate the ORR selectivity by adjusting the electrolyte composition rather than replacing the catalyst.

A research collaboration between Prof. Yayu Wang’s group at Tsinghua University and Prof. Chang Liu’s group at Renmin University of China (RUC) has recently published a paper in Science Bulletin, titled “Strongly enhanced topological quantum phases in dual-surface AlO_x-encapsulated MnBi₂Te₄.” By developing a wax-assisted exfoliation method and constructing dual-surface AlO_x encapsulation of MnBi₂Te₄, the team achieved enhanced topological quantum phases in both even and odd layer devices, providing a new approach for exploring novel topological quantum phenomena and potential applications in MnBi₂Te₄ and other two-dimensional materials.

A new research project at Wayne State University, supported by a $300,000 grant from Breakthrough T1D International, aims to change that. Dr. Zhiqiang Cao, professor of chemical engineering and materials science, is developing a next-generation ultra-rapid insulin designed to dramatically accelerate insulin action and remove the need for user input at mealtime.

University at Albany chemists have created a new high-energy compound — manganese diboride — that could revolutionize rocket fuel and make space flights more efficient. 

Chemists at UCL (University College London) have shown how two of biology’s most fundamental ingredients, RNA (ribonucleic acid) and amino acids, could have spontaneously joined together at the origin of life four billion years ago.