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Researchers at UCL, AWE and collaborators have developed an artificial intelligence approach to accelerate the discovery of new MAX phases, a family of layered materials used in applications ranging from energy technologies to advanced coatings. MAX phases are also precursors…

Cerium is one of the strangest metals in the periodic table. Cool it down or squeeze it, and it can suddenly collapse by about 15% in volume — then warm it back up and it swells out again, all without…

The paper shows that cracks in lithium-ion battery cathode particles are not only damage features but also new electrochemical pathways: once electrolyte enters these cracks, lithium can move and react on internal crack surfaces rather than only on the outer…

Modern computer technology depends on nanoscale electronic devices. These devices rely on extremely thin layers of insulating materials which are in contact with metal or semiconducting electrodes. Many of these layers are amorphous, meaning their atoms are arranged in a disordered structure rather than the regular atomic patterns found…

This article reviews how scientists are designing organic semiconductor materials that can selectively recognize metal ions such as sodium and potassium. By incorporating crown ether “molecular receptors” into these materials, ion binding can trigger changes in colour, light emission, or…

How do cell membranes respond to heat? Cell membranes are not passive barriers; they are dynamic, organised structures whose composition can change in response to their environment.  In our study, we used molecular simulations to explore how cholesterol moves within…

This work reveals how an unusually rigid carbene can be trapped at ultralow temperature in two distinct electronic states, known as singlet and triplet, which differ in both their magnetic properties and chemical behaviour. By combining low-temperature ultraviolet-visible, infrared and…

Hair care products like shampoos and conditioners work by depositing charged polymers and surfactants onto hair to make it feel smooth and reduce friction, but exactly how these ingredients need to be designed for best performance hasn’t been fully understood.…

Capturing solar energy in chemical bonds and releasing it on demand is a promising route towards a sustainable energy future. So-called Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) materials achieve exactly this: functional molecules based on molecular photoswitches absorb sunlight, twist into a…

Machine learning for faster discovery of ion-conducting materials Fast ion transport underpins key technologies such as batteries, fuel cells and sensors, but it is difficult to probe experimentally and expensive to model with conventional atomistic simulations. In this collaborative work…