Category archives: CFM

Bending Ohm’s Law: How symmetry-broken crystals rewrite the rules of electronics

Bending Ohm’s Law: How symmetry-broken crystals rewrite the rules of electronics

Condensed matterMaterialsQuantum physics

By Invited Researcher

When Georg Ohm wired up pieces of copper in 1827, he struck a rule so robust that it still underpins every phone and supercomputer on Earth: double the current, double the voltage. Simple, linear, universal—or so we thought. Over the past decade physicists have discovered that this bedrock principle crumbles the moment a crystal loses […]

Unlocking magnetism in nanographenes: The role of oxyradicals and molecular design

Unlocking magnetism in nanographenes: The role of oxyradicals and molecular design

ChemistryDIPC Advanced materialsDIPC InterfacesMaterialsNanotechnology

By DIPC

Nanotechnology is like a playground for scientists, where they tinker with materials at the scale of atoms to create new tools and devices with extraordinary properties. One of the most exciting areas in this field involves nanographenes, which are tiny pieces of graphene—a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern, known for […]

Confined water vitrification

Confined water vitrification

Chemical engineeringDIPC Polymers

By DIPC

Water, a substance so familiar in our daily lives, harbours complexities that continue to intrigue scientists. One such enigma is the behaviour of water when it transforms into a glass-like state, known as vitrification, especially under confinement. A recent study delves into this phenomenon, shedding light on the intricate nature of confined water vitrification and […]

Unveiling the thermal secrets of tricalcium aluminate

Unveiling the thermal secrets of tricalcium aluminate

ChemistryDIPC Advanced materialsMaterials

By DIPC

Cement is a fundamental material in modern construction, used in everything from buildings to bridges. One of its key components, tricalcium aluminate (C₃A), plays a crucial role in determining cement’s setting time and durability. A recent study has provided new insights into how C₃A behaves under heat, combining computer simulations with experimental data to deepen […]

Different surface structures affect catalytic activity of silver

Different surface structures affect catalytic activity of silver

CatalysisChemistryDIPC Interfaces

By DIPC

Catalysis in industry is often driven by empirical investigations and, eventually, by unexpected discoveries. Frequently, the scientific understanding of the process takes much longer to develop. Ideally, it would be preferable to reverse this timeline, where scientific insights precede application. Nonetheless, even when the scientific explanation takes more time, a deep understanding of the underlying […]

Inducing an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling at a hybrid metal–organic interface

Inducing an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling at a hybrid metal–organic interface

Condensed matterDIPC InterfacesMaterialsNanotechnologyQuantum physics

By DIPC

Molecular spintronics is an emerging field that combines ferromagnetic materials with organic or metal–organic semiconductors. It benefits from the unique and exceptional properties of organic molecules, which go beyond inorganic ones. The strong response of many organic molecules to electrical, optical, ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic stimuli bring new potential functionalities to the spintronic device. An effective […]

Oscillatory hydrodynamics in DNA-coated gold nanoparticles

Oscillatory hydrodynamics in DNA-coated gold nanoparticles

DIPC Advanced materialsMaterials

By DIPC

Periodic responses to nonperiodic energy inputs, such as oscillations, are hallmarks of living systems. Researchers have devoted considerable efforts to understanding and mimicking natural self-assembled structures and functions to systems composed of nonbiological components. This has rendered remarkable developments in regulating interparticle interactions to form static and dynamic self-assemblies. Dynamic assemblies can, under suitable stimuli […]