materials

Sulfur cathodes remain a prominent area of battery research because they combine low-cost, abundant materials with very high theoretical energy density. A study published in Nature by researchers from CY University, the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), ICREA, and Fuzhou University examines sulfur-based battery systems …

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72616-0 Thermoelectric devices require more scalable, cost-effective methods of manufacturing. Here, the authors ink print high-performing La3-xTe4 legs with interlocked electrodes and evaluate their interfaces with creep property measurements and modeling.

Modern construction projects are more complex than ever, involving greater performance demands through mixed-use spaces against a backdrop of onerous budget pressures and increasingly stringent standards in terms of safety and sustainability. Behind every successful build, there is a whole network of engineering checks and balances designed to verify that materials perform as expected. Material t…

Nature Electronics, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41928-026-01622-3 Metainterfaces that have repetitive surface unit structures, and are inspired by the mortise–tenon and finger-joint structures used in traditional woodworking, can be used to create functional interfaces with enhanced electronic and thermal transport.

Nature Electronics, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41928-026-01620-5 By tuning the twist angle at its interfaces, a trilayer van der Waals heterostructure of molybdenum disulfide/molybdenum sulfide selenide/tungsten diselenide can offer an asymmetric thermal transport for use in the thermal management of electronic devices.

There’s a mineral called bustamentite that almost nobody studies. It forms in flat hexagonal plates, grows readily in warm water, and turns up as an unwanted contaminant in perovskite solar cells. For decades it sat at the margins of materials science, useful mostly as a precursor for more fashionable compounds. Then a group of physicists decided to look at it very carefully in the terahertz rang…

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million for feasibility studies. These studies aim to speed the translation of advanced materials innovations in three prioritised high growth themes and one strategic opportunity theme. Innovate UK

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72625-z Guan et al. report a molecular regulator to control crystallization kinetics in Sn-based perovskite, resulting in elongated island-like grain structure that regulates charge injection and recombination, enabling NIR-II LEDs with efficiency of 10.7%, peak radiance of 173 W sr-1 m-2, and operational lifetime of 1,3…

A research team has introduced i-Tac, an inverse-design workflow for 3D printed tactile elastomers that could streamline how designers prototype soft touch surfaces. The post i-Tac Inverse Design Tunes 3D Printed Elastomers’ Optics And Haptics appeared on Fabbaloo .

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41401-026-01794-w Nanoparticles for autoimmune diseases: advancing diagnostics and therapeutic solutions

3D-stacked near-memory LLM decoding; In-SoIC ESD protection for chiplets; thermal management for adv. packaging; quantum circuits on chiplets; agentic AI for formal verification; multilayer nanostructure characterization; liquid cooling for adv. packages; NV photonic coupler arrays. The post Chip Industry Technical Paper Roundup: May 5 appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering .

AI power prediction; large-area FPCBs; graphene vibrations. The post Research Bits: May 5 appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering .

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72848-0 Dead metal severely inhibited the development of alkali metal batteries. Here, authors reactivated dead Na by a reverse-pulse-interspersed charging strategy, which enhanced the rate and cycle capabilities of anode-free battery, and showed wide applicability to various alkali metal batteries.

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72471-z Iron fluoride electrodes show contrasting stability in ether- and ester-based electrolytes. Here, the authors reveal that interfacial anion chemistry governs conversion pathways and phase evolution, explaining the origin of stability differences and guiding the design of high-energy lithium batteries.

Applied Materials, Inc. today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with ASMPT Limited to acquire its NEXX business, a supplier of large-area advanced packaging deposition equipment for the semiconductor industry. The post Applied Materials Broadens Advanced Packaging Portfolio with Acquisition of NEXX appeared first on Semiconductor Digest .

A new quantum-inspired algorithm is reshaping how scientists approach some of the most complex materials known, enabling rapid analysis of structures that were previously beyond computational reach. Quantum technologies, including quantum computers, rely on materials that display unusual quantum effects under specific conditions. Researchers have found that these properties can also be engineered…

Researchers at Penn State have demonstrated that ordinary adhesive tape has a specialized type of material memory capable of storing a sequence of multiple memories that can be fine-tuned to have different strengths or be erased to make way for new memories.

Nature Communications, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72660-w Structurally engineered graphene oxide membranes fabricated by heterogeneous co-assembly enable rapid, selective solvent dehydration through coupled water adsorption and diffusion in sp3 /sp2 nanochannels, showing high flux with precise molecular sieving.