Category Chemistry/Nanotechnology

New study reveals a Graphene Sheet behaves ‘Like a mirror’ for water molecules

An image showing graphene water molecules on both sides of graphene. Because graphene is a conductor of electricity, water molecules on both sides of the graphene attract each other by the same charges. (Courtesy image)

A recently published study led by Virginia Commonwealth University researchers sheds new light on how water interacts with the nanomaterial graphene, a single, thin layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice.

The researchers’ findings could hold implications for a variety of applications, including sensors, fuel cell membranes, water filtration, and graphene-based electrode materials in high-performance supercapacitors.

The study, “Solvent–Solvent Correlations across Graphene: The Effect of Image Charges,” was published in the American Chemica...

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New insight into the Origin of Water on the Earth

Organic matter in nebula could be the source of terrestrial water. Photo: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Scientists have found the interstellar organic matter could produce an abundant supply of water by heating, suggesting that organic matter could be the source of terrestrial water.

There remains a number of mysteries on our planet including the elusive origin of water on the earth. Active studies suggested that terrestrial water had been delivered by icy comets or meteorites containing hydrous silicates that came from outside the “snow line” – the boundary beyond which ice can condense due the low temperatures...

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New Cobalt-Free Lithium-ion Battery Reduces Costs Without Sacrificing Performance

Product – Powder[2] copy
These powder samples will be fabricated to become the cobalt-free cathode.

Researchers say they’ve cracked the code to a cobalt-free high-energy lithium-ion battery, eliminating the cobalt and opening the door to reducing the costs of producing batteries while boosting performance in some ways.

For decades, researchers have looked for ways to eliminate cobalt from the high-energy batteries that power electronic devices, due to its high cost and the human rights ramifications of its mining. But past attempts haven’t lived up to the performance standards of batteries with cobalt.

Researchers from the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin say they’ve cracked the code to a cobalt-free high-energy lithium-ion battery, eliminating the cobalt and opening th...

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Record Efficiency for Printed Solar Cells

Two-step roll to roll coating of perovskite thin films at Swansea University, where researchers from the SPECIFIC project have achieved record efficiency levels for printed solar cells. Credit: SPECIFIC/Swansea University

A new study reports the highest efficiency ever recorded for full roll-to-roll printed perovskite solar cells (PSCs), marking a key step on the way to cheaper and more efficient ways of generating solar energy.

A team at Swansea University’s SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, led by Professor Trystan Watson, has reported using a roll-to-roll fabrication method for four layers of slot-die coated PSCs.

The PSCs gave the stable power output of 12.2% – the highest efficiency recorded for four layers of roll-to-roll printed PSCs to date.

A newcomer to the p...

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