A polarized light microscopy view of a mixture of an azobenzene compound and a Phase Change Material. What looks like a stained-glass window or bird feathers is actually the microscopic world of energy storage. Such blends are key to developing "smart" thermal energy storage systems with light-responsive properties.
This image reveals the mosaic-like crystalline domains formed within a mixture of Azobenzene and a Phase Change Material. Using polarized light, the geometric boundaries show where different crystal orientations meet during solidification, showcasing the beautiful complexity found in materials science research
You can see a characteristic landscape of the Grand Canyon, with the Colorado River rising, viewed through binoculars. The image stands out because it is unusual to see a watercourse in such an arid place. It may remind some of manganese oxide precipitate in a vial, though that is just imagination.
This composite SEM–BSE image captures the calcium metal counter electrode surface after stripping during the evaluation of emerging calcium battery technologies. Blue–green gradients indicate light elements (C, O, and F), while red denotes Ca. Two closely spaced pits appear to merge, forming a microcosmic convergence. This morphology reveals pronounced interfacial heterogeneity, challenging the common assumption of a homogeneous counter electrode.
A microscope slide with a sample of an organic material used in solar cells with a spectroscopic image of the sample in the background.
An organic functional material that is fluorescent being filtered while illuminated with UV light.
The repetitive geometry and visual ambiguity evoke the Penrose Stairs and the lithograph Ascending and Descending by M. C. Escher.
A red dye being purified as a solid where it shows a beautiful morphology!
This SEM image captures calcium dendritic growth resembling a snowflake, acquired during the evaluation of emerging calcium battery technologies.
Thin films of a polymer before (transparent) and after (opaque) annealing.