Quantum

Atom-level simulations reveal the reason iron rusts in supposedly “inert” supercritical carbon dioxide fluid. Trace amounts of water can cause a reaction at the interface between iron and the fluid, prompting the formation of corrosive chemicals.

Rusting iron can be its own worst enemy

Atom-level simulations reveal the reason iron rusts in supposedly “inert” supercritical carbon dioxide fluid. Trace amounts of water can cause a reaction at the interface between iron and the fluid, prompting the formation of corrosive chemicals.

Pengcheng Dai

Rice physicist Pengcheng Dai wins superconductivity award

Rice University physicist Pengcheng Dai and two European physicists have won the 2022 Heike Kamerlingh Onnes Prize, one of the leading awards for experimental research in superconductivity.

Rice University physicist Guido Pagano

NSF funds Rice effort to measure, preserve quantum entanglement

Rice University physicist Guido Pagano has won a prestigious CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study quantum entanglement and develop new error-correcting tools for quantum computation.

Positively charged holes that propagate at catalytic sites can spread out and trigger catalysis in neighboring sectors, according to a theory developed at Rice University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune. (Credit: Illustration by Bhawakshi Punia and Srabanti Chaudhury/IISER Pune)

Migrating holes help catalysts be productive

A theoretical model suggests electron holes that propagate at active sites on a catalyst migrate, triggering other sites that continue the process.

Rice University researchers found that cyclic loading of nanotube fibers leads to strain ratcheting that can eventually lead to the failure of the fiber.

Nanotube fibers stand strong -- but for how long?

A Rice University study calculates how cyclic strain and stress affects nanotubes and describes how fibers under cyclic loads can fail over time.

artist's impression of neutron striking uranium ditelluride

A-list candidate for fault-free quantum computing delivers surprise

Superconducting uranium ditelluride is a promising material in the race to create fault-tolerant quantum computers, but physicists are rethinking how superconductivity arises in the material in light of puzzling new experimental evidence in this week’s issue of Nature.

MoS2 nanoribbons

Nickel’s need for speed makes unusual nanoribbons

It’s now possible to quickly make ultrathin nanoribbons of molybdenum disulfide, with a speedy nickel nanoparticle leading the way.

A two-dimensional coat of a perovskite compound is the basis for an efficient solar cell that might stand up to environmental wear and tear

Ultrathin solar cells get a boost

Rice University engineers boost the efficiency while retaining the toughness of solar cells made of two-dimensional perovskites.

Rice University physicist Guido Pagano is part of a team that reported in Nature the first evidence of many-body localization of particles without disorder. The phenomenon, which has relevance for quantum computing, involves removing disorder from a chain of particles to create a gradient that preserves the particles’ memory of their initial state.

Rice prof’s Nature paper details unique quantum phenomenon

Rice physicist Guido Pagano is part of a team reporting in Nature on the discovery of a new phenomenon in quantum systems.

Testing magnetene

Magnetene’s ultra-low friction explained

Rice scientists help make the first measurements of ultra-low friction in 2D magnetene.

A study by Rice University materials scientists shows it may be possible to grow borophene -- 2D boron -- in a way that allows for easy separation from a substrate. They calculated that borophene grown on hexagonal boron nitride allows for nucleation of borophene along the edges of steps in the substrate.

Weak bonds a strength in making borophene

Rice University researchers show how borophene, the 2D form of boron, can be grown to simplify its use for applications.

Gustavo Scuseria

American Chemical Society honors Gustavo Scuseria

Rice University’s Gustavo Scuseria wins the American Chemical Society Award in Theoretical Chemistry.

Rice Quantum Initiative

Message from provost on launch of Rice Quantum Initiative

For more than four decades, Rice University scientists and engineers have explored and expanded the boundaries of quantum science and created revolutionary computation, sensing and communication technologies based on the principles of quantum mechanics.

Rice University graduate student Lebing Chen used a high-temperature furnace to make chromium triiodide crystals

Rice physicists find 'magnon' origins in 2D magnet

Rice physicists have confirmed the topological origins of magnons, magnetic features they discovered three years ago in a 2D material that could prove useful for spintronics.

Rice University theorists have calculated flexoelectric effects in double-walled carbon nanotubes. The electrical potential (P) of atoms on either side of a graphene sheet (top) are identical, but not when the sheet is curved into a nanotube. Double-walled nanotubes (bottom) show unique effects as band gaps in inner and outer tubes are staggered. (Credit: Yakobson Research Group/Rice University)

Double-walled nanotubes have electro-optical advantages

Rice theorists find that flexoelectric effects in double-walled carbon nanotubes could be highly useful for photovoltaic applications.