Category Chemistry/Nanotechnology

Physicists at The Australian National University (ANU) are using nanoparticles to develop new sources of light that will allow us to “peel back the curtain” into the world of extremely small objects – thousands of times smaller than a human hair – with major gains for medical and other technologies.

The findings, published in Science Advances, could have major implications for medical science by offering an affordable and effective solution to analyse tiny objects that are too small for microscopes to see, let alone the human eye. The work could also be beneficial for the semiconductor industry and improving quality control of the fabrication of computer chips.

The ANU technology uses carefully engineered nanoparticles to increase the frequency of light that cameras and ...

Researchers at MIT say they have created a new material that will pave the way to faster charging batteries.

Increasing demand for improved electrochemical energy storage devices—that is, batteries—stems from a broad spectrum of technology. That includes electric vehicles, municipal power backup systems that require uninterrupted power during temporary outages, and various other applications in the agricultural, biomedical and defense sectors.

More efficient batteries will contribute to increasing demands for a greener, sustainable future.

But state-of-the-art battery technology suffer from a few drawbacks. One is the length of time required to recharge batteries...

Researchers have developed a new thermoelectric generator (TEG) that can continuously generate electricity using heat from the sun and a radiative element that releases heat into the air. Because it works during the day or night and in cloudy conditions, the new self-powered TEG could provide a reliable power source for small electronic devices such as outdoor sensors.

“Traditional power sources like batteries are limited in capacity and require regular replacement or rechargin...

Researchers report record-high magnetoresistance that appears in graphene under ambient conditions. In a paper published in Nature this week (13 Apr 2023), researchers from The University of Manchester report record-high magnetoresistance that appears in graphene under ambient conditions.

Materials that strongly change their resistivity under magnetic fields are highly sought for various applications and, for example, every car and every computer contain many tiny magnetic sensors. Such materials are rare, and most metals and semiconductors change their electrical resistivity only by a tiny fraction of a percent at room temperature and in practically viable magnetic fields (typically, by less than a millionth of 1 %)...