8 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY 2026 with uneven composition exhibit ex- ceptionally low thermal conductivity. Scientist Siqi Liu said the findings challenged conventional models that overlook the role of microstructural features. “People used to think low thermal conductivity in uneven materials was just due to how the different parts were mixed,” says Liu. “But we found it’s actually caused by tiny defects called edge dislocations that scatter heat more when they’re randomly arranged.” The team looked at a commonly used thermoelectric alloy (Bi0.4Sb1.6Te₃) as a model system. Researchers used advanced electron microscopy and scanning thermal probe techniques to map the compound’s composition and thermal properties at the atomic level. TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION HOLLOW-CORE FIBERS WITHSTAND RADIATION Scientists at CERN in Switzerland are testing the use of hollow-core optical fibers to measure the profile and position of beams extracted from the Super Proton Synchrotron, CERN’s second-largest accelerator. Unlike con- ventional fibers, which guide light through solid glass, hollow-core optical fibers are mostly empty inside but have a microstructure design that guides light through resonance-antiresonance effects on the electromagnetic field. By filling these fibers with a scintillating gas, researchers can create a simple yet powerful radiation sensor that helps them adjust the beam profile and position and may even allow them to measure the delivered beam dose in real time. Unlike the multiwire proportional chambers and scintillator detectors now used, the new fibers can work in an extreme radiation environment and will be very useful for CERN’s future accelerators. Reliably measuring particle beams is crucial for both experimental and beam physicists. The operation of all of CERN’s accelerators relies on a vast amount of data sent by thousands of beam sensors distributed along the machines. However, their reliability may be compromised at high energies or high intensities. This is also a concern for scientists developing accelerators for medical applications such as FLASH radiotherapy. The FLASH technique delivers radiation at ultrahigh dose rates and shows great promise in cancer treatment, but its extreme beam conditions require new kinds of monitoring tools to be developed. A team focusing on beam diagnostics for CERN’s experiments along with researchers working on medical applications are exploring new tools that can withstand extreme radiation. By linking accelerator expertise with medical research, the technology being tested at CERN could one day support the safe delivery of FLASH therapy to patients. https://home.cern. MAKING MATERIALS WITH TAILORED THERMAL PROPERTIES Researchers at Queensland Univer- sity of Technology (QUT), Australia, identified why some materials can block heat more effectively than others— a key feature for energy conversion, insulation, and gas storage. The new study discovered a structural mechanism that explains why some materials A beam instrumentation team member prepares to test a hollow-core fiber. Courtesy of CERN. Researchers from the University of South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Duracell developed a statistical method to optimize zinc particle size, shape, and crystallinity, potentially enhancing alkaline battery performance. The breakthrough could revolutionize zinc anode design. https://rdcu.be/eQ3YK. BRIEF Top: Backscattered electron (BSE) image showing the composition distribution of Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 pellet. Bottom: Scanning thermal probe micro-image (STPM) depicting the thermal conductivity ( κ) distribution corresponding to the area in top image. Courtesy of QUT.
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