A research team comprising members from the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tohoku University, and the Photon Science Innovation Center (PhoSIC) has successfully identified the optimal composition of a Co-Mn-Si Heusler alloy exhibiting the highest spin polarization—a key property of half-metallic materials—in just one day of experiments. This achievement was made possible by fabricating a composition-spread thin film on a single substrate and conducting photoelectron measurements at a 3 GeV high-brilliance synchrotron radiation facility, NanoTerasu. This highly efficient optimization approach is expected to accelerate the development of high-performance spintronic materials.

Solid-state batteries have attracted significant attention due to their high safety and high energy density. However, the continuous lithium (Li) consumption will lead to decrease of the energy density and lifespan of the battery. Efforts have been devoted to exploring new strategies to increase the content of the active Li-ions, among which application of sacrificial additives is one of the most effective ways to compensate for the lost lithium. To spur more research into a stable and high-efficiency additive, researchers in China assessed the current advances of research and proposed Li_xC₆O₆ (x=2 and 4) as high-efficiency Li-compensation additives in cathode.

ADHD can exacerbate anxiety, and anxiety can exacerbate ADHD. Girls are particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety disorders, but researchers have recently discovered something that may help slow down – or prevent – the development of these types of disorders.

An investigation into Viking skeletons reveals a hidden story of violence, power, and the surprising differences between neighbouring Viking societies.

A recent study published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences offers a comprehensive examination of factors driving the Arctic amplification, while also comparing quantitative results from multiple studies. The review highlights the complex interactions of various drivers, including local feedbacks, atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and aerosols. It also underscores significant uncertainties in quantifying their contributions and emphasizes the need for more reliable data and improved models to enhance understanding and predictions of Arctic climate change.

Ultrasound imaging is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools in modern medicine. Behind its non-invasive magic lies a class of materials known as piezoelectric single crystals, which can convert electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and vice versa. Now, in a world-first, a research team from Kumamoto University has successfully visualized how tiny structures inside one of these crystals respond to electric fields in real time—shedding light on the dynamics of nanostructure in materials used in ultrasound probes.

A NIMS research team has developed an approach capable of accurately and  short-timeframe predicting the degradation behavior of electrocatalysts used in water electrolyzers by employing data assimilation—a method commonly employed in weather forecasting. After analyzing only 300 hours of experimental data, this approach accurately predicted the degradation of an electrocatalytic material occurring after approximately 900 hours of water electrolysis. This approach is able to accelerate and simplify the comparison of degradation properties among various electrocatalytic materials, potentially facilitating investigations into their degradation mechanisms and expediting the development of more efficient, economical and durable electrocatalytic materials.