2-D Electronics Take a Step Forward
Scientists at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have advanced on the goal of two-dimensional electronics with a method to control the growth of uniform atomic layers of molybdenum disulfide (MDS).The Rice labs of lead investigator Jun Lou, Pulickel Ajayan and Boris Yakobson, all professors in the university’s Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Department, collaborated with Wigner Fellow Wu Zhou and staff scientist Juan-Carlos Idrobo at ORNL in an unusual initiative that incorporated experimental and theoretical work.  more...

Diamonds, Nanotubes Find Common Ground in Graphene
What may be the ultimate heat sink is only possible because of yet another astounding capability of graphene. The one-atom-thick form of carbon can act as a go-between that allows vertically aligned carbon nanotubes to grow on nearly anything. The heart of the research is the revelation that when graphene is used as a middleman, surfaces considered unusable as substrates for carbon nanotube growth now have the potential to do so. Diamond happens to be a good example, according to Rice materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan and Honda chief scientist Avetik Harutyunyan.  more...

Add Boron for Better Batteries
Rice University theorists say graphene-boron mix shows promise for lithium-ion batteries. Frustration led to revelation when Rice University scientists determined how graphene might be made useful for high-capacity batteries. Calculations by the Rice lab of theoretical physicist Boris Yakobson found a graphene/boron anode should be able to hold a lot of lithium and perform at a proper voltage for use in lithium-ion batteries.  more...

Dr. O'Malley Named Director of Rehabilitation Engineering and Senior Scientist at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital
Marcia O’Malley, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and director of Rice’s Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Laboratory, has been named director of rehabilitation engineering and senior scientist at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.  more...