Looking back, 2017 was a great year for advances in graphene research. Lightweight and flexible, yet durable, graphene consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. The material has been used to better solar panel technology, to enhance medical devices, and for the overall benefit of chemical and industrial processes. Nature Research presents a curated collation of graphene papers from our journals’ research portfolio during 2017.

Nature Communications – PEGylated graphene oxide elicits strong immunological responses despite surface passivation

Altmetric Score: 172

In the case of cancer treatment, to target specific tumours in the body, researchers have developed techniques where drug molecules are attached directly to the surface of a graphene sheets. Combining the nanomaterial and the drug molecules, these “nanotherapies” could help clinicians treat tumours by transporting the drugs directly to the tumours, where they can be released onto the cancer cells to help fight the disease. The findings are reported in Nature Communications.

Nature Communications – p-wave triggered superconductivity in single-layer graphene on an electron-doped oxide superconductor

Altmetric Score: 292

Researchers have found a way to trigger the innate, but previously hidden, ability of graphene to act as a superconductor – meaning that it can be made to carry an electrical current with zero resistance. The finding, reported in Nature Communications, further enhances the potential of graphene, which is already widely seen as a material that could revolutionise industries such as healthcare and electronics.

Nature Nanotechnology – Tunable sieving of ions using graphene oxide membranes

Altmetric Score: 1032

A study published in Nature Nanotechnology describes a graphene membrane that can desalinate seawater, potentially offering easy and accessible potable water globally. The filtration system works by precisely controlling the membrane’s pore size to sieve common salts out of salty water.

Nature – Remote epitaxy through graphene enables two-dimensional material-based layer transfer

Altmetric Score: 152

A novel cost-effective method that uses graphene as a “copy machine” to transfer intricate crystalline patterns from an underlying semiconductor wafer to a top layer of identical material is reported in Nature. Researchers worked out carefully controlled procedures to place single sheets of graphene onto an expensive wafer, and then grew semiconducting material over the graphene layer. The findings indicate that graphene is thin enough to appear electrically invisible, allowing the top layer to see through the graphene to the underlying crystalline wafer, imprinting its patterns without being influenced by the graphene.

Nature Photonics – Broadband image sensor array based on graphene–CMOS integration

Altmetric Score: 247

A paper published in Nature Photonics, describes a method that combines a graphene semi-conductor device with quantum dots to create an array of photodetectors, producing a high resolution image sensor. When used as a digital camera this device is able to sense UV, visible and infrared light at the same time. This is just one example of how this device might be used, others include in microelectronics, sensor arrays and low-power photonics.

Nature Communications – Graphene balls for lithium rechargeable batteries with fast charging and high volumetric energy densities

Altmetric score: 246

Researchers have developed a unique “graphene ball”, designed to increase battery capacity by 45 per cent, according to a paper published in Nature Communications. While current research initiatives have advanced the technology behind lithium-ion batteries, these developments must often sacrifice capacity over charging speed, and vice versa.

Nature Nanotechnology – Ultrahard carbon film from epitaxial two-layer graphene

Altmetric score: 220

A study published in Nature Nanotechnology describes a process for creating diamene: flexible, layered sheets of graphene that temporarily become harder than diamond and impenetrable upon impact. Researchers worked to theorize and test how two layers of graphene could be made to transform into a diamond-like material upon impact at room temperature. They also found the moment of conversion resulted in a sudden reduction of electric current, suggesting diamene could have interesting electronic and spintronic properties. The new findings will likely have applications in developing wear-resistant protective coatings and ultra-light bullet-proof films.

 Nature Communications – Integrated arrays of air-dielectric graphene transistors as transparent active-matrix pressure sensors for wide pressure ranges

Altmetric Score: 151

Researchers have created a three-dimensional, tactile sensor that could detect wide pressure ranges from human body weight to a finger touch. Using highly-conductive and transparent graphene transistors with air-dielectric layers, the sensor can detect different types of touch-including swiping and tapping. Reported in Nature Communications, the apparatus is capable of generating an electrical signal based on the sensed touch actions while consuming far less electricity than conventional pressure sensors.

Scientific Reports – Multi-frequency sound production and mixing in graphene

Altmetric score: 160

A pioneering new technique that encourages graphene to “talk” could revolutionise the global audio and telecommunications industries, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers devised a method to use graphene to generate complex and controllable sound signals. In essence, it combines speaker, amplifier and graphic equaliser into a chip the size of a thumbnail.

Nature Communications – Room temperature organic magnets derived from sp3 functionalized graphene

Altmetric Score: 540

By using graphene treated with other non-metallic elements, researchers have devised the first non-metallic magnet that retains its magnetic properties up to room temperature, reports a study published in Nature Communications. Such chemically modified magnetic graphene has a vast range of potential applications, particularly in the fields of biomedicine and electronics.

Happy Chinese New Year! 2018 is the Year of the Dog, so we’ve put together a list of our favourite canine-related research papers from recent years. Nature Research invites readers to learn about the effects of domestication in canines, similarities in the genome of ancient and modern dogs, through to how human cardiovascular systems have benefited from their companionship.

Scientific Reports – The effects of domestication and ontogeny on cognition in dogs and wolves

A study published in Scientific Reports based on where dogs and wolves searched for food after receiving hints, finds our domesticated companions cannot make the connection between cause and effect, but wolves can. The results from this study involving 12 captive wolves, 14 dogs and 12 pet dogs suggest that domestication may have reduced the independent problem-solving abilities of dogs in specific situations.

Scientific Reports – Birth of clones of the world’s first cloned dog

In 2005, researchers reported the first dog to be cloned – an Afghan hound named ‘Snuppy’. Since then, hundreds of other dogs have been cloned, offering an opportunity to learn more about the potential benefits and possible drawbacks of cloning animals. A paper published in Scientific Reports describes the creation and clinical follow-up of 4 clones using adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells from Snuppy as donor cells.

Nature Communications – Ancient European dog genomes reveal continuity since the Early Neolithic

The genome of ancient European dogs is similar to that of modern dogs, reports a paper published in Nature Communications. The study also suggests Europe was the centre of modern dog evolution, harbouring the oldest uncontested Palaeolithic remains.

Scientific Reports – Dog ownership correlates with lower rates of mortality and cardiovascular disease

Dog ownership appears to be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease in single-person households and lower mortality in the general population, reports a paper published in Scientific Reports.

Nature Reviews Genetics – Demographic history, selection and functional diversity of the canine genome

Despite being a single species, dogs represent nearly 400 breeds with substantial genetic, morphological and behavioural diversity. Published in Nature Reviews Genetics, this Review discuss how genomics studies of dogs have enhanced our understanding of dog and human population history, the desired and unintended consequences of trait-based selective breeding, and potentially human-applicable insights into cancer, ageing, behaviour and neurological diseases.

Scientific Reports – Human attention affects facial expressions in domestic dogs

An initial study published in Scientific Reports suggests dogs produce facial expressions communicatively and increase their frequency based on the attention they receive from another individual. The authors argue that their data points to a more flexible system combining both emotional and cognitive processes in dogs.

Scientific Reports – Functional MRI in Awake Dogs Predicts Suitability for Assistance Work

Brain scans of canine candidates to assist people with disabilities may help predict which dogs will fail a service training program, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. Data from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of 43 dogs provided a modest, but significant, improvement in the ability to identify poor candidates. Despite calm exteriors, some of the dogs showed higher activity in the amygdala – an area of the brain associated with excitability and anxiety. These dogs were more likely to fail the training programme.

If you want to keep up-to-date with research about dogs, why not try Recommended? It’s a free, personalised service that suggests relevant papers to you, based on what you’ve previously read, from all publishers.