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Category: nanotechnology

Carbon-fiber smart plastic: Self-healing, shape-shifting and stronger than steel

Aerospace engineering and materials science researchers at Texas A&M University have uncovered new properties of an ultra-durable, recyclable, smart plastic—paving the way for transformative applications in the defense, aerospace and automotive industries.

The research, published in Macromolecules and the Journal of Composite Materials, was led by Dr. Mohammad Naraghi, director of the Nanostructured Materials Lab and professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M, in close collaboration with Dr. Andreas Polycarpou at The University of Tulsa.

Their work explored the mechanical integrity, shape-recovery and self-healing properties of an advanced carbon-fiber plastic composite called Aromatic Thermosetting Copolyester (ATSP).

Carbon nanotube ‘smart windows’ offer energy savings

Half of the sun’s radiant energy falls outside of the visible spectrum. On a cold day, this extra infrared light provides additional warmth to residential and commercial buildings. On a warm day, it leads to unwanted heating that must be dealt with through energy-intensive climate control methods such as air-conditioning. Visibly transparent “smart windows” that can modulate the transmission of near infrared light offer one potential cost- and energy-saving measure for modern infrastructure. To work towards solving this technological challenge, a multidisciplinary team of researchers at

Carbon nanotube ‘smart windows’ offer energy savings by modulating near-infrared light transmission

Half of the sun’s radiant energy falls outside of the visible spectrum. On a cold day, this extra infrared light provides additional warmth to residential and commercial buildings. On a warm day, it leads to unwanted heating that must be dealt with through energy-intensive climate control methods such as air-conditioning.

Scientists Create New Magnetic State: The Magneto-Ionic Vortex (“Vortion”)

Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have successfully created a new form of magnetic state known as a magneto-ionic vortex, or “vortion.” Their findings, published in Nature Communications, demonstrate an unprecedented ability to control magnetic properties at the nanoscale under normal room temperature conditions. This achievement could pave the way for next-generation magnetic technologies.

As the growth of Big Data continues, the energy needs of information technologies have risen sharply. In most systems, data is stored using electric currents, but this process generates excess heat and wastes energy. A more efficient approach is to control magnetic memory through voltage rather than current. Magneto-ionic materials make this possible by enabling their magnetic properties to be adjusted when ions are inserted or removed through voltage polarity changes. Up to now, research in this field has mainly focused on continuous films, instead of addressing the nanoscale “bits” that are vital for dense data storage.

At very small scales, unique magnetic behaviors can appear that are not seen in larger systems. One example is the magnetic vortex, a tiny whirlpool-like magnetic pattern. These structures play an important role in modern magnetic data recording and also have biomedical applications. However, once a vortex state is established in a material, it is usually very difficult to modify or requires significant amounts of energy to do so.

A $2 gold nanotech test that detects deadly diseases in minutes

Arizona State University scientists have unveiled NasRED, a revolutionary one-drop blood test that can detect diseases like COVID-19, Ebola, HIV, and Lyme with incredible speed and precision. Using gold nanoparticles to spot microscopic disease markers, the device delivers results in just 15 minutes—outperforming traditional lab tests in sensitivity, speed, and affordability. Portable and costing only $2 per test, it could be deployed from remote clinics to urban hospitals, offering a lifeline for early detection and outbreak control worldwide.

New technique improves multi-photon state generation

Quantum dots – semiconductor nanostructures that can emit single photons on demand – are considered among the most promising sources for photonic quantum computing. However, every quantum dot is slightly different and may emit a slightly different color. This means that, to produce multi-photon states we cannot use multiple quantum dots. Usually, researchers use a single quantum dot and multiplex the emission into different spatial and temporal modes, using a fast electro-optic modulator. Now here comes the technological challenge: faster electro-optic modulators are expensive and often require very customized engineering. To add to that, it may not be very efficient, which introduces unwanted losses in the system.

The international research team, led by Vikas Remesh from the Photonics Group at the Department of Experimental Physics of the University of Innsbruck and involving researchers from the University of Cambridge, Johannes Kepler University Linz, and other institutions, has now demonstrated an elegant solution that sidesteps these limitations. Their approach uses a purely optical technique called stimulated two-photon excitation to generate streams of photons in different polarization states directly from a quantum dot without requiring any active switching components. The team demonstrated their technique by generating high-quality two-photon states with excellent single-photon properties.

“The method works by first exciting the quantum dot with precisely timed laser pulses to create a biexciton state, followed by polarization-controlled stimulation pulses that deterministically trigger photon emission in the desired polarization”, explain Yusuf Karli and Iker Avila Arenas, the study’s first authors. “It was a fantastic experience for me to work in the photonics group for my master’s thesis, remembers Iker Avila Arenas, who was part of 2022–2024 cohort of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s program in Photonics for Security Reliability and Safety and spent 6 months in Innsbruck.

What makes this approach particularly elegant is that we have moved the complexity from expensive, loss-inducing electronic components after the single photon emission to the optical excitation stage, and it is a significant step forward in making quantum dot sources more practical for real-world applications, notes Vikas Remesh, the study’s lead researcher. Looking ahead, the researchers envision extending the technique to generate photons with arbitrary linear polarization states using specially engineered quantum dots.

The study has immediate applications in secure quantum key distribution protocols, where multiple independent photon streams can enable simultaneous secure communication with different parties, and in multi-photon interference experiments which are very important to test even the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, explains Gregor Weihs, head of the photonics research group in Innsbruck.

Small But Mighty: How is Nanotechnology Powering AI?

The limitations of conventional semiconductor technology have become increasingly apparent as AI applications require exponentially larger computational resources. Once the engines of rapid technological advances, silicon-based transistors are now encountering fundamental physical constraints at the nanoscale that inhibit further scaling and performance enhancement. Moore’s law, which predicted the doubling of transistors on a chip every two years, is running out of space.

On top of that, the breakdown of Dennard scaling, which once enabled simultaneous improvements in speed, power efficiency, and density, has further intensified the need for alternative materials and device architectures capable of sustaining AI-driven workloads.

This is where nanotechnology comes in. Working on a nanoscale offers a pathway to overcome the constraints of conventional tech, enabling the precise manipulation of materials at the atomic and molecular levels, typically within the one to 100 nanometer range.

At this minute scale, materials exhibit unique physical, chemical, and electrical characteristics. These small-scale properties can enable faster operation, lower energy consumption, and can be used to deliver complex functionalities within a single nanoscale architecture.

Discover how nanotechnology is advancing AI with energy-efficient chips, in-memory computing, neuromorphic hardware, and nanoscale data storage solutions.

Manipulating Ferroelectric Topological Polar Structures with Twisted Light

We demonstrate dynamic control of ferroelectric order in quasi-2D CsBiNb2O7 using twisted ultraviolet light carrying orbital angular momentum. Our approach harnesses non-resonant multiphoton absorption and induced strain to modulate topological of ferroelectric polarization textures. In-situ X-ray coherent imaging and Raman spectroscopy reveal reversible, nanoscale polarization transitions, enabling efficient stabilization of topological solitons and paving the way for novel optoelectronic devices.

Cubosome-based method for loading mRNA into exosomes

Exosomes, naturally derived vesicles responsible for intercellular communication, are emerging as next-generation drug delivery systems capable of transporting therapeutics to specific cells. However, their tightly packed, cholesterol-rich membranes make it extremely difficult to encapsulate large molecules such as mRNA or proteins.

Conventional approaches have relied on techniques like electroporation or chemical treatment, which often damage both the drugs and exosomes, reduce delivery efficiency, and require complex purification steps—all of which pose significant barriers to commercialization.

The team utilized a lipid-based nanoparticle known as a “cubosome,” which mimics the fusion structure of cell membranes and naturally fuses with exosomes. By mixing cubosomes carrying mRNA with exosomes at room temperature for just 10 minutes, the researchers achieved efficient fusion and confirmed that the mRNA was successfully loaded into the exosomes. Analysis showed that over 98% of the mRNA was encapsulated, while the structural integrity and biological function of the exosomes were preserved.

Furthermore, the engineered exosomes demonstrated the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, one of the most difficult hurdles in drug delivery. Notably, the team observed a “homing” effect, where exosomes return to the type of cell they originated from, enabling targeted drug delivery to diseased tissues.

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