Fundamental observation of spin-controlled electrical conduction in metals

Modern magnetic memories, such as hard drives installed in almost every computer, can store a very large amount of information thanks to very tiny, nanoscale magnetic sensors used for memory readout. The operation of these magnetic sensors, called the spin-valves, is based on the effect of giant magnetoresistance (GMR), for which its inventors Albert...

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New nanocatalyst does more with less platinum

Platinum is a highly reactive and in-demand catalyst across the chemical and energy industries, but a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison and Georgia Institute of Technology scientists could reduce the world’s dependence on this scarce and expensive metal. In a paper published July 2, 2015 in the journal ("Palladium–platinum core-shell icosahedra...

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3D atomic map gives clues to extending catalyst life

Despite decades of industrial use, the exact chemical transformations occurring within zeolites, a common material used in the conversion of oil to gasoline, remain poorly understood. Now scientists have found a way to locate—with atomic precision—spots within the material where chemical reactions take place, and how these spots shut down. Called active...

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