Mechanical Engineering: Research Guide

The interaction of silver materials with light is well-known as the basis of film photography. But, there are much more sophisticated interactions when we consider very, very small particles of silver that could have applications in a wide range of technologies.

A nanostructure made of silver and an atomically thin semiconductor layer can be turned into an ultrafast switching mirror device that may function as an optical transistor—with a switching speed around 10,000 times faster than an electronic transistor.

Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that atomic-scale substitutional dopants in ultra-thin two-dimensional (2D) materials can act as stable quantum systems operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies.

Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and colleagues have developed a new way to fabricate three-dimensional nanoscale devices from single-crystal materials using a focused ion beam instrument. The group used this new method to carve helical-shaped devices from a topological magnet composed of cobalt, tin, and sulfur, with a chemical formula of Co₃Sn₂S₂, and found that they behave like switchable diodes, meaning that they allow electricity to flow more easily in one direction than the other.

CO2 reduction to storable fuels or valuable chemical products provides a carbon-neutral cycle that can mitigate the rapid consumption of fossil fuels and increasing CO2 emissions. Although solar-driven CO2 reduction holds great promise for sustainable energy, the role and control of atomic-level active sites in governing intermediate formation and conversion pathways remains poorly understood.

Researchers from the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new class of high-performance materials for micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch chips, achieving an ultra-long fatigue life critical for 5G/6G communications, aerospace, industrial control and medical applications.

Researchers from Skoltech have uncovered physical principles governing the remote "tuning" of nanocatalysts, where the ultra-thin platinum layer's properties can be controlled exclusively by modifying its metallic core's composition and structure.

A Czech and Spanish-led research team has demonstrated the ability to distinguish subtle differences between magnetic ground states using a new form of scanning probe microscopy.

Researchers at National Taiwan University have developed a modular platform to reprogram tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), transforming them from oncogenic messengers into safe, customizable drug delivery vehicles through precise molecular editing.

Nanomechanical systems developed at TU Wien have now reached a level of precision and miniaturization that will allow them to be used in ultra-high-resolution atomic force microscopes in the future. Their new findings are published in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies.

Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to the micrometer scale by the diffraction limit of light.

Exciting electronic characteristics emerge when scientists stack 2D materials on top of each other and give the top layer a little twist.

Researchers from the Institute of Physics in Zagreb have shown that depositing a thin layer of organic molecules on two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors can improve their optical properties and even repair defects. Their work, published in Surfaces and Interfaces, could help improve the performance of 2D materials in (opto)electronics and photonics.

The phenomenon where electron spins align in a specific direction after passing through chiral materials is a cornerstone for future spin-based electronics. Yet, the precise process behind this effect has remained a mystery—until now.

Gold nanorods are promising photocatalysts that can use light energy to drive chemical reactions—such as converting CO₂ into usable fuels or producing hydrogen from water. In this process, the nanorods act like tiny antennas that capture light and convert it into collective oscillations of their electrons. During the reaction, the particles can become electrically charged.

LMU researcher Professor Alexander Urban and his team have developed a tool that could revolutionize the design of new materials. Synthesizer is a platform that combines automated chemical synthesis, high-throughput characterization, and data-driven modeling. The goal is to control the growth of nanocrystals with unprecedented precision, thereby creating materials with tailor-made optical properties. The results of their work have now been published by the LMU team in Advanced Materials.

A research team has developed a hierarchical-shell perovskite nanocrystal technology that simultaneously overcomes the long-standing instability of metal-halide perovskite emitters while achieving record-breaking quantum yield, operational stability, and scalability. This work paves the way for next-generation vivid-color display technologies.

Light-emitting semiconductors are used throughout everyday life in TVs, smartphones, and lighting. However, many technical barriers remain in developing environmentally friendly semiconductor materials.

The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology behind flexible cell phones, curved monitors, and televisions could one day be used to make on-skin sensors that show changes in temperature, blood flow, and pressure in real time.

Graphene has long been hailed as a "wonder material." It is incredibly strong, highly conductive and almost impossibly thin—just one atom thick. These properties make it a promising candidate for next-generation technologies such as flexible electronics, wearable devices and printed sensors. Yet despite years of research, turning graphene into practical, printable inks has remained a major challenge.

Tired of hauling your boat out of the water to clean its hull? Graphene can replace the toxic chemicals usually used to do this job.

Graphene could transform everything from electric cars to smartphones, but only if we can guarantee its quality. The University of Manchester has led the world's largest study to set a new global benchmark for testing graphene's single-atom thickness. Working with the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and 15 leading research institutes worldwide, the team has developed a reliable method using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that will underpin future industrial standards.

An unexpected discovery in a Harvard lab has led to a breakthrough insight into choosing an unconventional material, silica, to make optical metasurfaces—ultra-thin, flat structures that control light at the nanoscale and are already replacing traditional optical devices like lenses and mirrors.

Recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) have opened new exciting possibilities for the rapid analysis of data, the sourcing of information and the generation of use-specific content. To run AI models, current hardware needs to continuously move data from internal memory components to processors, which is energy-intensive and can increase the time required to tackle specific tasks.

In recent years, two-dimensional (2D) single-crystalline metal nanosheets have emerged as a promising next-generation platform for self-powered electronics. However, their potential for triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs)—a promising energy-harvesting technology—remains largely untapped, mainly due to their low current output and limited durability.

Inspired by biological systems, materials scientists have long sought to harness self-assembly to build nanomaterials. The challenge: the process seemed random and notoriously difficult to predict.

Stanford researchers have developed a flexible material that can quickly change its surface texture and colors, offering potential applications in camouflage, art, robotics, and even nanoscale bioengineering.

Whether they're tickling your nose, hugging your eyelashes or melting on your tongue, few winter wonders are as fascinating as snowflakes.

A research team from the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Lanzhou University has obtained important experimental evidence for revealing brain memory mechanisms and developing a new type of neuromorphic computing. Their findings are published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Researchers at CU Boulder have created tiny, microorganism-inspired particles that can change their shape and self-propel, much like living things, in response to electrical fields.