Nano News: 03/30/15

Fascinating quantum transport on a surface

Topological insulators are an exceptional group of materials. Their interior acts as an insulator, but the surface conducts electricity extremely well. Scientists at The Technische Universität München now could measure this for the first time directly, with extremely high temporal resolution and at room temperature. In addition, they succeeded to influence...

3D imaging of objects with details as small as 25 nanometers

Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute and ETH Zurich (Switzerland) have created 3D images of tiny objects showing details down to 25 nanometres. In addition to the shape, the scientists determined how particular chemical elements were distributed in their sample and whether these elements were in a chemical compound or in their pure state. 3D...

Wrapping carbon nanotubes in polymers enhances their performance

Scientists first reported carbon nanotubes in the early 1990s. Since then, these tiny cylinders have been part of the quest to reduce the size of technological devices and their components. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have very desirable properties. They are 100 times stronger than steel and one-sixth its...