Researchers at the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore have identified a key design principle for building reliable electronics from materials only one atomic layer thick, giving engineers a clearer way to control unwanted electrical leakage in future ultra-small devices.

The finding challenges the assumption that material choice alone determines device performance.

The researchers’ findings could help guide the development of future electronic components that are smaller, thinner and more energy-efficient. These include advanced computer chips, ultra-thin memory devices, and emerging technologies that rely on controlling electrical behaviour at the atomic scale.

Researchers review the latest results and understanding of mechanisms behind this new field of research where seeds show higher yields and resilience following flash treatment in low-temperature plasma. 

Commercialization of sodium-ion batteries depends on the advancement of high-performance hard carbon (HC) anodes. Their complex microstructure, composed of graphitic nanodomains, nanopores, and defects, fundamentally governs sodium storage. However, most design of HC is hampered by a fragmented research approach focusing on single-point optimization. Isolated improvements in the precursor selection, pyrolysis, or post-treatment often produce unsatisfactory results due to overlooked synergistic effects across the entire fabrication chain. This review addresses this challenge by proposing a holistic, full-process engineering perspective. We first clarify how the core structural features of HC collectively determine the storage mechanism. We then systematically examine the roles of pretreatment, mid-process control, and post-treatment in microstructural manipulation. We also critically assess and comparatively evaluate these strategies by identifying their respective strengths, shortcomings, and interdependencies. Our analysis emphasizes that treatments at one stage precondition outcomes at another, highlighting key coupling points for synergistic optimization. How to coordinate these strategies in industrial production to obtain batch performance stable HC has also been discussed. Finally, we put forward future research directions, focusing on establishing quantitative microstructure–property relationships through advanced characterization and modeling, developing cross-stage co-design strategies, and evaluating process scalability and sustainability. This review aims to guide the transition of HC anode development from exploratory confusion toward rational, predictive engineering.

CHANGWON, South Korea — Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), led by President Chul-jin Choi, announced that a research team led by Seil Kim of the Energy & Environmental Materials Research Division has developed an Ag–PTFE composite plating technology that produces silver coatings with greater hardness and wear resistance than conventional silver plating by stably dispersing PTFE nanoparticles in a cyanide-free acidic silver plating bath. The technology simultaneously achieves high hardness, low friction, and excellent wear resistance—properties that have traditionally been difficult to optimize together. It is expected to improve the durability and reliability of components subjected to repeated contact and friction, including electric vehicle connectors, relays, and electrical contacts in electronic devices.

Prof. Ben Zhong Tang of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) and Professor Anjun Qin of South China University of Technology, together with a number of scholars who have long been engaged in research on organic room-temperature phosphorescence, aggregation-induced emission, theoretical calculations, and organic/polymer optoelectronic functional materials, jointly authored a review article entitled "Organic room-temperature phosphorescence materials."