UNLV research shows that water can change its structure under the scrutiny of intense pressure, giving us an idea of its appearance on extraterrestrial worlds.

In the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, Prof. Tao Zhou at Sichuan University and his co-workers report a route that combines stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing with laser-induced selective metallization. By exploiting the selective adhesion of a magnetic liquid-metal slurry made from Galinstan and iron particles to the copper patterns produced by laser-induced selective metallization, Prof. Zhou's team fabricated flexible devices that crawl on flat surfaces and slopes, move across water, shield electromagnetic interference, and restore cut conductive traces with magnetic assistance.

Anyone who wants a deeper dive into the operations and experiments underway at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) can find a new journal publication on the topic. 

This Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science journal article discusses the history, features, and status of the facility, as well as the current scientific program and future evolution and plans.

Superconductivity has many important practical applications, including creating powerful magnets used in high-resolution medical scans, transporting electricity efficiently, and building ultra-sensitive measuring devices. Until now, understanding exactly what lay behind this unique phenomenon at high temperatures has eluded scientists over many decades.

A collaboration involving Flatiron Institute quantum physicists identifies one possible barrier to superconductivity in materials called ‘cuprates.’ Removing that barrier could unlock higher-temperature superconductivity.

Transmitting electricity without losing any energy may sound impossible, yet this is precisely the promise of superconductivity. For nearly 40 years, scientists have been working to understand materials that exhibit this remarkable property at relatively high temperatures. Unlocking their secrets could one day help make power grids more efficient, enhance medical technologies, and support the development of quantum computing. 

Among the most promising of these materials are cuprates, a family of copper-based compounds discovered in 1986. The breakthrough was so significant that its discoverers, Bednorz and Müller, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics the following year. Despite decades of research, however, the mechanisms that allow cuprates to become superconducting remain poorly understood. 

 

At the heart of this puzzle lies the pseudogap, a mysterious quantum state whose exact role continues to spark debate. Some scientists believe it helps superconductivity emerge, while others see it as a competing phenomenon. 

 

That question is precisely what a team led by INRS Professor Fabio Boschini, Canada Research Chair in Quantum Materials’ Dynamics and recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, set out to investigate. In a study published in Nature Physics, the researchers provide new evidence suggesting that the pseudogap and superconductivity compete with one another rather than work together. 

A new imaging method reveals differences across catalyst surfaces, offering insights that could help researchers improve materials for hydrogen production and other chemical processes.