Mechanical Engineering: Research Guide

Quantum sensing is a rapidly developing field that utilizes the quantum states of particles, such as superposition, entanglement, and spin states, to detect changes in physical, chemical, or biological systems. A promising type of quantum nanosensor is nanodiamonds (NDs) equipped with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. These centers are created by replacing a carbon atom with nitrogen near a lattice vacancy in a diamond structure.

All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are promising energy storage solutions that incorporate a lithium metal anode and solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), as opposed to the liquid ones found in conventional lithium batteries. While solid-state LMBs could exhibit significantly higher energy densities compared to lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), the solid electrolytes they contain are prone to dendrite growth, which reduces their stability and safety.

A global review of advancements in integrating metasurfaces—thin planar arrays of nanostructures—into optoelectronic devices highlights their potential to transform technologies such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers, optical modulators, and photodetectors. This progress can pave the way for breakthroughs across industries including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), optical communication, thermal management, solar energy, and quantum technologies.

Wearing sunscreen is important to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation but doesn't cool people off. However, a new formula, described in Nano Letters, protects against both UV light and heat from the sun using radiative cooling. The prototype sunblock kept human skin up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) cooler than bare skin, or around 6 °F (3 °C) cooler than existing sunscreens.

Efficient and durable low-cost catalysts are essential for green hydrogen production and related chemical fuel production, both vital technologies for the transition to renewable energy. Research in this field increasingly focuses on metal exsolution reactions to fabricate catalysts with improved properties.

Using a chemical reaction inspired by rocket fuel ignition, Cornell researchers have engineered a nanoporous carbon with the highest surface area ever reported, a breakthrough that is already proving beneficial for carbon-dioxide capture and energy storage technologies.

Researchers from Tohoku University and collaborators have developed a weak fluorination strategy to address the zero-bandgap limitation of graphene. Details of the research were published in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

The University of Liverpool has reported a significant advancement in engineering biology and clean energy. A team of researchers has developed an innovative light-driven hybrid nanoreactor that merges natural efficiency with cutting-edge synthetic precision to produce hydrogen—a clean and sustainable energy source.

Wearable devices and smart sensors are transforming how we monitor health and activity, from tracking heartbeats to detecting body movements. However, traditional tools like stethoscopes and fitness trackers often face challenges. They require user training, struggle with accurately capturing subtle signals, and are limited in flexibility and ease of use.

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have made tungsten disulfide nanotubes which point in the same direction when formed, for the first time. They used a sapphire surface under carefully controlled conditions to form arrayed tungsten disulfide nanotubes, each consisting of rolled nanosheets, using chemical vapor deposition.

Gases are essential for many chemical reactions, and bubbles are one way for these gases to be held in solution. When compared to larger bubbles, nanobubbles have increased stability—meaning that they can remain in a solution longer without popping. Due to their increased stability, they allow for higher availability of gases in solution, allowing more time for chemical reactions to occur.

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, in collaboration with the Australian National University, Canberra has demonstrated a novel way of steering a beam of relativistic electron pulses produced by an ultrahigh intensity, femtosecond laser. Their study is published in the journal Laser and Photonics Reviews.

While humble copper (Cu) may not boast the allure of gold or silver, its remarkable versatility makes it invaluable in cutting-edge research. A collaborative effort by scientists from Tohoku University, the Tokyo University of Science, and the University of Adelaide has unveiled a method to enhance the selectivity and sustainability of electrochemical CO2 reduction processes.

University of Central Florida (UCF) researcher Debashis Chanda, a professor at UCF's NanoScience Technology Center, has developed a new technique to detect long wave infrared (LWIR) photons of different wavelengths or "colors."

In a study recently published in the journal Nano Letters, researchers from Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, used frequency-modulated atomic force microscopy to reveal the submolecular structure of microtubule (MT) inner surface and visualize structural defects in the MT lattice, providing valuable insights into the complex dynamic processes that regulate microtubule function.

Artificial molecular machines, nanoscale machines consisting of a few molecules, offer the potential to transform fields involving catalysts, molecular electronics, medicines, and quantum materials. These machines operate by converting external stimuli, like electrical signals, into mechanical motion at the molecular level.

At just a few atoms of thickness, 2D materials offer revolutionary possibilities for new technologies that are microscopically sized but have the same capabilities as existing machines.

One of the great ambitions in the scientific world is to use tiny objects—such as molecules, viruses, and nanoparticles—as building blocks to construct essential macromolecules and materials, much like constructing intricate designs with LEGO bricks. However, achieving this requires overcoming significant challenges.

Rising CO₂ emissions are accelerating global warming and climate change. But what if scientists could repurpose excess CO₂ into a potential energy source?

Researchers have pioneered a new technique at the Swiss Light Source SLS called X-ray linear dichroic orientation tomography, which probes the orientation of a material's building blocks at the nanoscale in three-dimensions.

A Korean research team, which had previously visualized and scientifically proven the harmful effects of carbonated drinks like cola on dental health using nanotechnology, has now identified a mechanism for an effective method to prevent tooth damage caused by these beverages.

Two years ago, a medical professional approached scientists at the University of Tabriz in Iran with an interesting problem: Patients were having headaches after pacemaker implants. Working together to investigate, they began to wonder if the underlying issue is the materials used in the pacemakers.

A newly developed approach can precisely produce four-stranded β-sheets through metal–peptide coordination, report researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo. Their innovative methodology overcomes long-standing challenges in controlled β-sheet formation, including fibril aggregation and uncontrolled isomeric variation in the final product.

Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania researchers, and scientists from Japan have developed a unique nanolaser. Although the dimensions of this laser are so small that its structure can only be seen through a powerful microscope, its potential is vast. With applications in early medical diagnostics, data communication, and security technologies, this invention could also become a key tool for the study of light and matter interactions.

How can medicines be directed to precise locations within the body where they need to act? Scientists have been researching this question for a long time. An example would be delivering cancer drugs directly to a tumor so that they only take effect at a specific location, without causing side effects in the rest of the body. Research is under way to identify carrier particles to which active ingredients can be bound.

Researchers have created nearly freestanding nanostructured two-dimensional (2D) gold monolayers, an impressive feat of nanomaterial engineering that could open up new avenues in catalysis, electronics, and energy conversion.

A team of Rice University scientists has solved a long-standing problem in thermal imaging, making it possible to capture clear images of objects through hot windows. Imaging applications in a range of fields—such as security, surveillance, industrial research and diagnostics—could benefit from the research findings, which were reported in the journal Communications Engineering.

Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice, is known for its exceptional properties: incredible strength (about 200 times stronger than steel), light weight, flexibility, and excellent conduction of electricity and heat. These properties have made graphene increasingly important in applications across various fields, including electronics, energy storage, medical technology, and, most recently, quantum computing.

From smartwatches, and fitness trackers to medical sensors that can be worn on the body, wearables are transforming the way we interact with technology. As their popularity grows, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) that convert mechanical energy such as body movement to electrical energy offer a solution to power these devices without relying on batteries.

Wuhan University-led research is reporting the development of a revivable self-assembled supramolecular biomass fibrous framework (a novel foam filter) that efficiently removes microplastics from complex aquatic environments.