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In this paper, we looked at the α-cristobalite phase of silica (SiO2) and compared it to the better-studied α-quartz phase. We did this to explore how these two different phases would change when an oxygen atom was removed from the…

Part of the set-up for creating medium-density amorphous ice: ordinary ice and steel balls in a jar. Credit: Christoph Salzmann

Polymer brushes, which are composed of polymer chains attached at high densities from their ends to a surface, are prevalent in nature (e.g., synovial joints) and have attracted considerable attention due to their ability to modify the surface properties by…

N. V. Tepliakov, J. Lischner, E. Kaxiras, A. A. Mostofi and M. Pizzochero Symmetry is an ubiquitous concept in physics that helps us rationalise a wide spectrum of physical properties and phenomena. Certain materials exhibit a higher degree of symmetry…

Capturing solar energy requires a joint between two electrical conductors. It is at the join that the magic happens and the high energy electrons are swept away to operate a device or charge a battery before their energy is lost.…

A paper recently published in Physical Review B presents various emergent prethermal phases of matter in a periodically-driven frustrated system. Frustration arises in the presence of competing interactions leading to a (near) degeneracy of a vast number of states. The…

Nanoparticles made of cross-linked copolymers can be tuned during their synthesis to display a variety of binding sites on their surface. If carefully engineered, a binding sites can selectively adsorb one type of protein only. When this is the case,…

A paper recently published in Materials Advances presents a workflow and model for simulating Li intercalation in graphite anodes for modelling of battery materials. This is the first workflow that is able to simulate the intercalation and its properties (e.g.…

Water trapped between membranes or in tiny ‘nanoscale’ cavities is very common – it can be found in everything from membranes in our bodies to geological formations. But this nanoconfined water behaves very differently from the water we drink. Until…

Conjugated polymers are employed in a variety of application areas due to their bright fluorescence and strong biocompatibility. However, understanding the structure of amorphous conjugated polymers on the nanoscale is extremely challenging compared to their related crystalline phases. This work…