Materials Science and NanoEngineering

Newly designed nanomaterial shows promise as antimicrobial agent

Newly developed halide perovskite nanocrystals show potential as antimicrobial agents that are stable, effective and easy to produce.

Rice hosts workshop and winter school to advance quantum materials research

Rice’s Center for Quantum Materials and Smalley-Curl Institute recently held two successive events aimed at advancing the field of quantum materials research.

WaTER Institute leads the charge in making cleaner water through nanotech

Providing access to safe drinking water can save more lives than doctors

Reactor developed at Rice could make direct air capture more energy efficient

Rice researchers have developed an electrochemical reactor that has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption and cost for direct air capture.

New synthesis strategy could speed up PFAS decontamination

Rice engineers have developed an innovative way to make covalent organic frameworks, special materials that can be used to trap gases, filter water and speed up chemical reactions.

Researchers innovate sustainable metal-recycling method

A research team led by James Tour has developed a method to recycle valuable metals from electronic waste more efficiently.

Department of Defense’s Dev Shenoy addresses Rice community on microelectronics advancements and opportunities

Rice’s National Security Research Accelerator hosted Dev Shenoy, the principal director for microelectronics at the U.S. Department of Defense

Thermochromic material could make indoor temperature control more energy-efficient

Rice engineers have developed a smart material that could significantly enhance energy efficiency for indoor space cooling. The new thermochromic polymer blend has an estimated lifespan of 60 years and is lower cost than existing thermochromics.

Researchers teaching artificial intelligence about frustration in protein folding

Peter Wolynes and his colleagues have found a new way to predict how proteins change their shape when they function.

‘Out of all the unknowns in science, we have so much to discover’

Rice’s Smalley-Curl Institute held its 38th annual Summer Research Colloquium Aug. 2 at Rice’s Duncan Hall, where undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers gave presentations covering topics in nanoscience, quantum materials and quantum information science and technology to a multidisciplinary audience.

New twist on synthesis technique developed at Rice promises sustainable manufacturing

James Tour’s lab at Rice has developed a new method known as flash-within-flash Joule heating.

Rice-built reactor yields green ammonia and purified water

Rice engineers have developed a revolutionary reactor design that could decarbonize ammonia production while also mitigating water pollution.

Angel Martí elected fellow of the American Chemical Society

Rice’s Angel Martí has been elected a fellow of the American Chemical Society, one of his discipline’s highest honors.

Rice, DOE labs tackle knowledge gap in materials science research

Rice materials scientist Lane Martin and collaborators shed light on mesoscale structures in high-tech material with potential use in next-generation electronics, lasers and sensors.

Rice lab finds faster, cleaner way to extract lithium from battery waste

Rice researchers uncover a rapid, efficient and environmentally friendly method for selective lithium recovery using microwave radiation and a readily biodegradable solvent.