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A breakthrough in material science could help deliver a new generation of affordable batteries, scientists say. An international team of researchers led by chemists from the University of Glasgow and battery testing experts at Helmholtz Institute Ulm have implemented a material made from chromium and selenium in a potassium-ion battery.

Breakthrough research that eliminates the guesswork in developing advanced 3D printed materials could help accelerate the development of new forms of 'self-sensing' aeroplanes, robots, bridges and more. A team of engineers led by researchers from the University of Glasgow have developed the first system capable of modelling the complex physics of 3D-printed composites capable of detecting strain, load, and damage using nothing more than a measure of electrical current.

Researchers have developed a wearable 'smart choker' that uses a combination of flexible electronics and artificial intelligence techniques to allow people with speech impairments to communicate by detecting tiny movements in the throat. The smart choker, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, incorporates electronic sensors in a soft, stretchable fabric, and is comfortable to wear.

A team of scientists from the University of Manchester has achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding lithium-ion storage within the thinnest possible battery anode - composed of just two layers of carbon atoms. Their research, published in Nature Communications , shows an unexpected 'in-plane staging' process during lithium intercalation in bilayer graphene, which could pave the way for advancements in energy storage technologies.

3D printing offers effective, scalable way to remove harmful chemicals Engineers have invented a new way to remove health-harming 'forever chemicals' from water - using 3D printing. Researchers at the University of Bath say their method, using ceramic-infused lattices (or 'monoliths'), removes at least 75% of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the most common perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), from water, and could become an important tool in future efforts to eliminate the chemicals from water supplies.

New research on 3D-printed materials could unlock benefits for industry A new analysis of the deformation mechanisms which cause 3D-printed materials to fail under strain could help create future generations of stronger, lighter plastics, unlocking transformative benefits for industry.

Researchers at the National Graphene Institute have made a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionise energy harnessing and information computing. Their study, published in Nature , reveals how electric field effects can selectively accelerate coupled electrochemical processes in graphene. Electrochemical processes are essential in renewable energy technologies like batteries, fuel cells, and electrolysers.

The University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute has spearheaded an international team to engineer a novel approach for controlling thermal emission, detailed in a paper published in Science . This breakthrough offers new design strategies beyond conventional materials, with promising implications for thermal management and camouflage technologies.

In a significant development in the field of superconductivity, researchers at The University of Manchester have successfully achieved robust superconductivity in high magnetic fields using a newly created one-dimensional (1D) system. This breakthrough offers a promising pathway to achieving superconductivity in the quantum Hall regime, a longstanding challenge in condensed matter physics.

Researchers have found a way to super-charge the 'engine' of sustainable fuel generation - by giving the materials a little twist. The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, are developing low-cost light-harvesting semiconductors that power devices for converting water into clean hydrogen fuel, using just the power of the sun.

The energy density of supercapacitors - battery-like devices that can charge in seconds or a few minutes - can be improved by increasing the 'messiness' of their internal structure. This could be a turning point for a field that's been stuck for a little while. Alex Forse Researchers led by the University of Cambridge used experimental and computer modelling techniques to study the porous carbon electrodes used in supercapacitors.

Researchers from Oxford University's Department of Physics have developed a method to integrate hurricane-like magnetic whirls with silicon, which could enable a new generation of green and super-fast computing platforms. Image credit: Anna Bliokh, Getty Images. Researchers from Oxford University's Department of Physics have made a breakthrough in creating and designing magnetic whirls in membranes that can be seamlessly integrated with silicon.

A revolutionary nanomaterial with huge potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed further without acute risk to human health, research suggests. Carefully controlled inhalation of a specific type of graphene - the world's thinnest, super strong and super flexible material - has no short-term adverse effects on lung or cardiovascular function, the study shows.

"Our sensor is like a highly accurate microphone for your breath. It can pick up on the tiniest changes in airflow, providing valuable physiological information on an individual, for example related to their cardiac, neurological and pulmonary conditions as well as certain types of illness. " Manchester scientists have developed a new type of wearable sensor that can precisely track your breath, even the slightest changes in the exhaling and inhaling processes.

Engineers from UK universities have developed a new method of measuring temperature through the interaction of a soft and flexible 'smart skin' sensor with electromagnetic waves. Engineers from UK universities have developed a new method of measuring temperature through the interaction of a soft and flexible 'smart skin' sensor with electromagnetic waves.