Smart regulation of substance permeability through porous membranes is highly desirable for membrane applications. Inspired by the stomatal closure feature of plant leaves at relatively high temperature, here the authors report a nano-gating membrane with a negative temperature-response coefficient that is capable of tunable water gating and precise small molecule separation.
UCLA chemists have developed a new method to produce nanoribbons of graphene, next-generation structures that many scientists believe will one day power electronic devices.
This research is published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Tiny pores at a cell’s entryway act as miniature bouncers, letting in some electrically charged atoms—ions—but blocking others. Operating as exquisitely sensitive filters, these “ion channels” play a critical role in biological functions such as muscle contraction and the firing of brain cells. To rapidly transport the right ions through the cell membrane, the tiny channels rely on a complex interplay between the ions and surrounding molecules, particularly water, that have an affinity for the charged atoms. But these molecular processes have traditionally been difficult to model—and therefore to understand—using computers or artificial structures.
Silicon chips were the foundation of a famous global tech hub, and officials at the University of Adelaide think the “miracle material of the 21st century”, graphene, can help create another one. ‘Graphene Valley’ anyone?
Skeleton Technologies has announced the signing of a distribution agreement with Sumitomo Corporation Europe, with the aim of providing energy storage solutions for the rapidly growing hybrid electric and electric vehicle industry.
Great article from the archive – Physicists at UCLA set out to design a better transistor and ended up discovering a new way to think about the structure of space. Space is usually considered infinitely divisible — given any two positions, there is always a position halfway between.