Category: New Materials

“Zigzag Atoms: Scientists develop material with high technological potential” — The University of São Paulo

~ Matheus A. Tunes ~ Leave a comment

Our interview to the Brazilian newspaper "Jornal da USP" is now online! "Zip Phases," synthetic materials combining metallic and non-metallic chemical elements, could be used in the future in electronics, energy storage, superconductivity, and sensors. A new class of synthetic intermetallic materials, with unique atomic structures and physical properties offering high technological potential, has been … Continue reading “Zigzag Atoms: Scientists develop material with high technological potential” — The University of São Paulo

Most-read paper at Advanced Materials

~ Matheus A. Tunes ~ 1 Comment

Our work on the discovery of the new Zigzag Intermetallic Phases (ZIP phases) has received an outstanding response from the scientific community on ResearchGate — it is currently featured as the most-read paper of the past 30 days! https://www.researchgate.net/journal/Advanced-Materials-1521-4095 The ZIP phases (short for zigzag intermetallic compounds) are a completely new family of materials with a remarkable feature … Continue reading Most-read paper at Advanced Materials

Exploring the Stability of Ti-based MAX Phases in Extreme Nuclear Environments

~ Matheus A. Tunes ~ Leave a comment

We are excited to share findings from our latest research on the potential use of MAX phases in nuclear reactors. MAX phases, known for their hexagonal-compact nanolayered crystal structure, high machinability, and chemical inertness, have long been considered promising materials for nuclear applications. However, our new paper sheds light on crucial aspects that must be … Continue reading Exploring the Stability of Ti-based MAX Phases in Extreme Nuclear Environments

Advancing microreactor materials technology: Next stop, the Moon!

~ Matheus A. Tunes ~ Leave a comment

Miniaturizing nuclear reactors offers a robust solution for generating reliable and efficient electricity, crucial for supporting human missions beyond Earth. Such miniturization is not at all an easy task. I have been pursuing research in this area since 2015, when we designed a ~ 3x3 metre-sized small nuclear reactor core for biological shielding optimization studies. … Continue reading Advancing microreactor materials technology: Next stop, the Moon!

Introducing the Zigzag IntermetAllic (ZIA) phases: A new class of nanostructured materials

~ Matheus A. Tunes ~ Leave a comment

With a warm heart, I would like to share with the materials science community our newest preprint on introduction of the "ZIA phases". The ZIA phases further elaborate upon the notion of nanolaminated crystalline solids, extending it significantly beyond the MAX phases lineage of initial transition metal carbides/nitrides. This expansion is highly likely to widen … Continue reading Introducing the Zigzag IntermetAllic (ZIA) phases: A new class of nanostructured materials