Category Chemistry/Nanotechnology

New 5G Switches mean Battery life Improvements, higher Bandwidth and Speeds

With US Army funding, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Lille in France develop a radio-frequency switch that is more than 50 times more energy efficient that what is used today. Credit: University of Texas

The 5G revolution has begun, and the first lines of phones that can access the next generation of wireless speeds have already hit the shelves. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Lille in France have built a new component that will more efficiently allow access to the highest 5G frequencies in a way that increases devices’ battery life and speeds up how quickly we can do things like stream high-definition media.

Smartphones are loaded with switches that perform a number of duties...

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Scientists finally crack down Nature’s most Common Chemical Bond

A catalyst (center) based on iridium (blue ball) can snip a hydrogen atom (white balls) off a terminal methyl group (upper and lower left) to add a boron-oxygen compound (pink and red) that is easily swapped out for more complicated chemical groups. The reaction works on simple hydrocarbon chains (top reaction) or more complicated carbon compounds (bottom reaction). The exquisite selectivity of this catalytic reaction is due to the methyl group (yellow) that has been added to the iridium catalyst. The black balls are carbon atoms; red is oxygen; pink is boron. (UC Berkeley image by John Hartwig)

Carbon-hydrogen bonds in hydrocarbon molecules have resisted functionalization until now...

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Scientists Eliminate Drug Side Effects by Manipulating Molecular chirality

Dr Jeffery Huang Zhifeng, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at HKBU, has developed a novel approach to manipulating the chirality of drug molecules.
Dr Jeffery Huang Zhifeng, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at HKBU, has developed a novel approach to manipulating the chirality of drug molecules.

Scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have developed a novel technique that can produce pure therapeutic drugs without the associated side effects.

The approach, which uses a nanostructure fabrication device, can manipulate the chirality of drug molecules by controlling the direction a substrate is rotated within the device, thus eliminating the possible side effects that can arise when people take drugs containing molecules with the incorrect chirality.

Published in the international scientific journal Nature Chemistry, the research findings pave the way towards the mass production of purer, cheaper and ...

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Durable, Washable Textile Coating can Repel Viruses

An illustration shows the treated textile’s ability to repel fluids.

New research could lead to safely reusable PPE. Researchers have created a textile coating that can not only repel liquids like blood and saliva but can also prevent viruses from adhering to the surface. Masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are essential for protecting healthcare workers. However, the textiles and materials used in such items can absorb and carry viruses and bacteria, inadvertently spreading the disease the wearer sought to contain.

When the coronavirus spread amongst healthcare professionals and left PPE in short supply, finding a way to provide better protection while allowing for the safe reuse of these items became paramount.

Research from the LAMP Lab at the Universit...

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