Category Technology/Electronics

Ohio State University researchers have developed a technique to create light emitting diodes on metal foil. Image by Brelon J. May, courtesy of The Ohio State University.

Material created with high heat yields record power output density. With energy conservation expected to play a growing role in managing global demand, materials and methods that make better use of existing sources of energy have become increasingly important. Researchers reported this week they have demonstrated a step forward in converting waste heat – from industrial smokestacks, power generating plants or even automobile tailpipes – into electricity.

The work, using a thermoelectric compound composed of niobium, titanium, iron and antimony, succeeded in raising the material’s power output density dramatically by using...

SEM images of the material hot-pressed at a) 1123 K, b)1173 K, c) 1273 K, and d)1373 K. Credit: University of Houston

Material created with high heat yields record power output density. With energy conservation expected to play a growing role in managing global demand, materials and methods that make better use of existing sources of energy have become increasingly important. Researchers reported this week they have demonstrated a step forward in converting waste heat – from industrial smokestacks, power generating plants or even automobile tailpipes – into electricity.

The work, using a thermoelectric compound composed of niobium, titanium, iron and antimony, succeeded in raising the material’s power output density dramatically by using a very hot pressing temperature – up to 1373 Kelvin ...

Scientists have developed a solar smart window that could power itself and other devices. Credit: American Chemical Society

Regular Smart windows get darker to filter out the sun’s rays on bright days, and turn clear on cloudy days to let more light in. This feature can help control indoor temperatures and offers some privacy without resorting to blinds. Now scientists report a new development in this growing niche: solar smart windows that can turn opaque on demand and even power other devices. The study appears in ACS Photonics.

Most existing solar-powered smart windows are designed to respond automatically to changing conditions, such as light or heat. But this means that on cool or cloudy days, consumers can’t flip a switch and tint the windows for privacy...

Schematic explanation of the world’s fastest quantum simulator. Credit: NINS/IMS

Scientists have developed the world’s fastest simulator that can simulate quantum mechanical dynamics of a large number of particles interacting with each other within 1 billionths of a second. The dynamics of many electrons interacting with each other governs a variety of important physical and chemical phenomena such as superconductivity, magnetism, and chemical reactions. An ensemble of many particles thus interacting with each other is referred to as a “strongly correlated system.” Understanding the properties of strongly correlated systems is thus one of the central goals of modern sciences...