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Categories: Energy: Alternative Fuels, Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published Batteries: Passivation layer mystery solved
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In our daily lives, lithium-ion batteries have become indispensable. They function only because of a passivation layer that forms during their initial cycle. As researchers found out via simulations, this solid electrolyte interphase develops not directly at the electrode but aggregates in the solution. Their findings allow the optimization of the performance and lifetime of future batteries.
Published 'Inkable' nanomaterial promises big benefits for bendable electronics
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An international team of scientists is developing an inkable nanomaterial that they say could one day become a spray-on electronic component for ultra-thin, lightweight and bendable displays and devices.
Published 'Fishing' for biomarkers
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Researchers have devised a tiny, nano-sized sensor capable of detecting protein biomarkers in a sample at single-molecule precision. Fittingly coined as 'hook and bait,' a tiny protein binder fuses to a small hole created in the membrane of a cell -- known as a nanopore -- which allows ionic solution to flow through it. When the sensor recognizes a targeted molecule, the ionic flow changes. This change in flow serves as the signal from the sensor that the biomarker has been found.
Published 'Green' hydrogen: How photoelectrochemical water splitting may become competitive
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Sunlight can be used to produce green hydrogen directly from water in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells. So far, most systems based on this 'direct approach' have not been energetically competitive. However, the balance changes as soon as some of the hydrogen in such PEC cells is used in-situ for a catalytic hydrogenation reaction, resulting in the co-production of chemicals used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The energy payback time of photoelectrochemical 'green' hydrogen production can be reduced dramatically, the study shows.
Published Nanotechnology could treat lymphedema
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When lymphatic vessels fail, typically their ability to pump out the fluid is compromised. Researchers have now developed a new treatment using nanoparticles that can repair lymphatic vessel pumping. Traditionally, researchers in the field have tried to regrow lymphatic vessels, but repairing the pumping action is a unique approach.
Published Mind-control robots a reality?
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Researchers have developed biosensor technology that will allow you to operate devices, such as robots and machines, solely through thought control.
Published Perovskite solar cells from the slot die coater -- a step towards industrial production
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Solar cells made from metal halide perovskites achieve high efficiencies and their production from liquid inks requires only a small amount of energy. Scientists are investigating the production process. At the X-ray source BESSY II, the group has analyzed the optimal composition of precursor inks for the production of high-quality FAPbI3 perovskite thin films by slot-die coating. The solar cells produced with these inks were tested under real life conditions in the field for a year and scaled up to mini-module size.
Published Major advance in super-resolution fluorescence microscopy
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Pushing the MINFLUX technique to higher spatial and temporal precision allows protein dynamics to be observed under physiological conditions.
Published Minimizing electric vehicles' impact on the grid
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Some projections show that widespread adoption of electric vehicles might require costly new power plants to meet peak loads in the evening. A new study shows that placing EV charging stations strategic ways and setting up systems to initiate charging at delayed times could lessen or eliminate the need for new power plants.
Published Researchers control the degree of twist in nanostructured particles
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Micron-sized 'bow ties,' self-assembled from nanoparticles, form a variety of different curling shapes that can be precisely controlled, a research team has shown.
Published Game-changing high-performance semiconductor material could help slash heat emissions
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Researchers have engineered a material with the potential to dramatically cut the amount of heat power plants release into the atmosphere.
Published Switching to hydrogen fuel could prolong the methane problem
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Hydrogen is often heralded as the clean fuel of the future, but new research suggests that leaky hydrogen infrastructure could end up increasing atmospheric methane levels, which would cause decades-long climate consequences.
Published Scientists transform algae into unique functional perovskites with tunable properties
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Scientists have transformed single-cell algae into functional perovskite materials. The team has converted mineral shells of algae into lead halide perovskites with tunable physical properties. The new perovskites have unique nano-architectures unachievable by conventional synthetic production. The method can be applied to the mass production of perovskites with tunable structural and electro-optical properties from single-celled organisms.
Published Are piezoelectrics good for generating electricity? Perhaps, but we must decide how to evaluate them
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A 'best practice' protocol for researchers developing piezoelectric materials has been developed by scientists. The protocol was developed by an international team led by physicists in response to findings that experimental reports lack consistency. The researchers made the shocking discovery that nine out of 10 scientific papers miss experimental information that is crucial to ensure the reproducibility of the reported work.
Published 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries revealed
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Researchers have pioneered a technique to observe the 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries. This opens up a wide range of areas for the new technique from energy storage and chemical engineering to biomedical applications.
Published Microscopy: Highest resolution in three dimensions
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Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscopy method for the rapid differentiation of molecular structures in 3D.
Published Some stirring required: Fluid mixing enables scalable manufacturing of soft polymer structures
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Researchers have developed and demonstrated an efficient and scalable technique that allows them to manufacture soft polymer materials in a dozen different structures, or 'morphologies,' from ribbons and nanoscale sheets to rods and branched particles. The technique allows users to finely tune the morphology of the materials at the micro- and nano-scale.
Published Knots smaller than human hair make materials unusually tough
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A micro-architected material made from tiny knots proves tougher and more durable than unknotted counterparts.
Published A safe synthesis of hydrogen peroxide inspired by nature
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Scientists report the safe synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an oxidizing agent used in multiple industries including semiconductors, using a new rhodium-based catalyst. The catalyst is based on natural enzymes found in extremophile microorganisms, and the reaction meets three chemical ideals for H2O2 production: safe, use of a single vessel, and direct synthesis.
Published New kind of transistor could shrink communications devices on smartphones
(via sciencedaily.com) 
One month after announcing a ferroelectric semiconductor at the nanoscale thinness required for modern computing components, a team has now demonstrated a reconfigurable transistor using that material. Their work paves the way for single amplifiers that can do the work of multiple conventional amplifiers, among other possibilities.