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    Category Technology/Electronics

    3D Printing with Plants

    March 4, 2017, Categories  Technology/Electronics, Chemistry/Nanotechnology

    This image from a scanning electron microscope shows a cross section of an object printed using cellulose. The inset shows the surface of the object. Credit: Courtesy of the researchers

    This image from a scanning electron microscope shows a cross section of an object printed using cellulose. The inset shows the surface of the object. Credit: Courtesy of the researchers

    Thanks to new research at MIT, cellulose may become an abundant material to print with – potentially providing a renewable, biodegradable alternative to the polymers currently used in 3D printing materials. “Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer in the world,” says MIT postdoc Sebastian Pattinson. “Cellulose and its derivatives are used in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, as food additives, building materials, clothing – all sorts of different areas. And a lot of these kinds of products would benefit from the kind of customization that additive manufacturing [3-D printing] enables.”

    Meanwhile, 3D ...

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    Water-Repellent Nanotextures found to have Excellent Anti-Fogging abilities

    March 3, 2017, Categories  Physics, Technology/Electronics, Biology/Biotechnology

    The team's nanocones (scanning electron microscope image, (a)) were inspired by the nanotexture found on cicada wings (atomic force microscopy image, (b)). The middle plot (c) shows that the nanocones (red squares) are far less adhesive to warm water than the nanocylinders (blue circles). Because of the nanocone geometry, water droplets beneath a large drop can be reabsorbed (d) and small droplets condensing in cones can reconfigure at the top of the cones (e). Credit: Nature Materials

    The team’s nanocones (scanning electron microscope image, (a)) were inspired by the nanotexture found on cicada wings (atomic force microscopy image, (b)). The middle plot (c) shows that the nanocones (red squares) are far less adhesive to warm water than the nanocylinders (blue circles). Because of the nanocone geometry, water droplets beneath a large drop can be reabsorbed (d) and small droplets condensing in cones can reconfigure at the top of the cones (e). Credit: Nature Materials

    Nanotextures inspired by cone-shaped structures on cicada wings could inform new designs for materials prone to fogging, such as car and aircraft windshields. Several years ago, scientists at the U.S...

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    Shape-Shifting Molecular Robots respond to DNA Signals

    March 3, 2017, Categories  Technology/Electronics, Biology/Biotechnology

    Schematic diagram of the molecular robot. Molecular actuators work inside the robot, and the shape of the artificial cell membrane, which are bodies, are changed. When a DNA signal is input, the "molecular clutch," which transmits the force from the actuator, controls the shape-changing behavior. (B) Microscopy images of molecular robots. When the input DNA signal was "stop," the clutch was turned "OFF," and consequently, the shape-changing behavior was terminated (left side). The initiation of the shape-changing behavior when the DNA signal input was "start" was also confirmed (right side). Scale bar: 20 ?m. The white arrow indicates the molecular actuator part that transforms the membrane. Credit: Yusuke Sato

    Schematic diagram of the molecular robot. Molecular actuators work inside the robot, and the shape of the artificial cell membrane, which are bodies, are changed. When a DNA signal is input, the “molecular clutch,” which transmits the force from the actuator, controls the shape-changing behavior. (B) Microscopy images of molecular robots. When the input DNA signal was “stop,” the clutch was turned “OFF,” and consequently, the shape-changing behavior was terminated (left side). The initiation of the shape-changing behavior when the DNA signal input was “start” was also confirmed (right side). Scale bar: 20 ?m. The white arrow indicates the molecular actuator part that transforms the membrane.
    Credit: Yusuke Sato

    Tohoku University and Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology researc...

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    Tweaking Electrolyte makes Better Lithium-metal Batteries

    March 2, 2017, Categories  Technology/Electronics, Chemistry/Nanotechnology

    This is an artist's illustration shows how PNNL's addition of the chemical lithium hexafluorophosphate to a dual-salt, carbonate solvent-based electrolyte makes rechargeable lithium-metal batteries stable, charge quickly, have a high voltage, and go longer in between charges. Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    This is an artist’s illustration shows how PNNL’s addition of the chemical lithium hexafluorophosphate to a dual-salt, carbonate solvent-based electrolyte makes rechargeable lithium-metal batteries stable, charge quickly, have a high voltage, and go longer in between charges. Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    Adding a small amount of lithium hexafluorophosphate to a dual-salt, carbonate solvent-based electrolyte can make rechargeable lithium-metal batteries stable, charge quickly and have a high voltage...

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