Category archives: Materials

Graphene—a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice—has captivated scientists because of its extraordinary electronic and mechanical properties. Its electrons move through the lattice almost as if they were massless, giving graphene exceptionally high electrical conductivity and mobility. However, pristine graphene sheets are not magnetic and their electrons are delocalized across the […]

When we think of faster, cheaper electronics, we usually think “smaller transistors.” But the future is also about stacking—adding new layers of components on top of finished silicon chips. That’s called back‑end‑of‑line (BEOL) integration, and it only works if everything you add can be made at low temperatures (generally below ~400–450 °C), otherwise you damage […]

In polymer science, the classic division is between thermoplastics, which soften and flow when heated, and thermosets, which are permanently cross-linked and keep their shape no matter how hot they get—at least until they burn. In the last decade, researchers have discovered a fascinating new class of materials called vitrimers, which sit between these two […]

Plutonium has captured the attention of scientists since its discovery in the early 1940s. This enigmatic element has an important role to play in emerging energy technologies like nuclear batteries and reactors, but it also has complicated electronic behavior that causes some intriguing effects. Its electron structure contributes to unconventional entropic properties at low temperatures […]

Light can do remarkable things, but it has limitations. Ordinary photons are bound by diffraction, which sets a limit on how tightly they can be confined in space. This is why focusing light to spots smaller than about half its wavelength is so difficult. But in certain materials, photons couple to vibrations of atoms or […]

When you look at a crystal—say, a piece of salt or a sheet of graphene—its atoms are not randomly scattered. They form an orderly grid, like tiles on a floor. Because the atoms are arranged in this repeating way, electrons moving through the crystal don’t behave as if they’re in free space. Instead, their motion […]

A team of scientists has discovered a new type of crystal that can “breathe”—releasing and absorbing oxygen repeatedly at relatively low temperatures. This unique ability could transform the way we develop clean energy technologies, including fuel cells, energy-saving windows, and smart thermal devices. The newly developed material is a special kind of metal oxide made […]

Authors: José Manuel Cabrero, Catedrático. Estructuras Arquitectónicas y Construcción con Madera. Cátedra Madera Onesta, Universidad de Navarra and Rayder Willian Leonardo Laura, Científico investigador, Universidad de Navarra Most of us are already quite comfortable recycling our household waste. In Spain, for instance, millions of tonnes of packaging are processed every year, but did you know […]

Imagine a material where electrons glide through without any resistance, moving like a perfectly synchronized dance troupe. This phenomenon, known as superconductivity, allows electricity to flow with zero energy loss, holding immense promise for everything from ultra-efficient power lines to advanced quantum computers. A a team of researchers dives into this fascinating world, focusing on […]

Imagine a lattice shaped like a network of interconnected triangles, called a kagome lattice, where atoms or particles struggle to find a comfortable arrangement. This unique structure creates a situation known as geometric frustration, where the particles can’t settle into a simple, orderly pattern because of the lattice’s shape. In a magnetic metal called FeGe […]