July: New method promises easier nanoscale manufacturing
On 31 July, scientists at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory said they'd found a way of patterning nanomaterials and claimed their work could open a new path to the next generation of everyday electronic devices .
"This is a step needed to move quantum dots and many other nanomaterials from proof-of-concept experiments to real technology we can use," said Professor Dmitri Talapin at UChicago.
Read more about the work of Prof Talapin's team here.
September: Device to convert wasted heat into electricity
According to scientists at Washington State University, their multicomponent, multilayered composite van der Waals Schottky diode converts heat into electricity up to three times more efficiently than silicon. The team believed it could eventually provide an extra source of power for applications ranging from smart phones to automobiles.
Read all about it here.
