Category Technology/Electronics

Synthetic biowire are making an electrical connection between two electrodes. Researchers led by microbiologist Derek Lovely at UMass Amherst say the wires, which rival the thinnest wires known to man, are produced from renewable, inexpensive feedstocks and avoid the harsh chemical processes typically used to produce nanoelectronic materials. Credit: UMass Amherst

A genetically designed strain of bacteria spins out very thin and highly conductive wires made up of solely of non-toxic, natural amino acids. Researchers led by microbiologist Derek Lovely say the wires, which rival the thinnest wires known to man, are produced from renewable, inexpensive feedstocks and avoid the harsh chemical processes typically used to produce nanoelectronic materials...

Changes in colors emitted through mechanochromism a) When the blue crystal in emission was ground at the center, the color turned yellow. b) A round filter paper thinly coated with blue mechanochromic molecules in emission. The yellowish letters “Au” appeared after scratching the surface with a spatula. Credit: Image courtesy of Hokkaido University

In mechanochromism, certain solid and liquid crystalline materials change their photoluminescence properties upon mechanical stimulation, such as grinding, ball-milling and crushing. Although such compounds have attracted much attention with hopes of various applications, it has heretofore been thought difficult to synthesize mechanochromic compounds with desired emission properties and behaviors as each molecule emits different color.

A tea...

A molybdenum 3-atoms-thick selective membrane. Credit: © Steven Duensing / National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Proponents of clean energy will soon have a new source to add to their existing array of solar, wind, and hydropower: osmotic power. Or more specifically, energy generated by a natural phenomenon occurring when fresh water comes into contact with seawater through a membrane. Researchers at EPFL’s Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology have developed an osmotic power generation system that delivers never-before-seen yields. Their innovation lies in a 3 atoms thick membrane used to separate the 2 fluids.

The concept is fairly simple. A semipermeable membrane separates 2 fluids with different salt concentrations...

Quantum-confined bandgap narrowing mechanism through which the absorption of two UV absorbers, namely the graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and TiO2 nanoparticles, can be easily extended into the visible light range in a controllable manner. Such a mechanism may be of great importance for light harvesting, photocatalysis and optoelectronics.

For the 1st time resesarchers have found a quantum-confined bandgap narrowing mechanism where UV absorption of the graphene quantum dots and TiO2 nanoparticles can easily be extended into the visible light range. Such a mechanism may allow the design of a new class of composite materials for light harvesting and optoelectronics...