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Results 61 - 80 of 141.


Materials Science - Physics - 23.12.2021
Templating approach stabilises 'ideal' material for alternative solar cells
Templating approach stabilises ’ideal’ material for alternative solar cells
Researchers have developed a method to stabilise a promising material known as perovskite for cheap solar cells, without compromising its near-perfect performance. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, used an organic molecule as a 'template' to guide perovskite films into the desired phase as they form.

Materials Science - Physics - 20.12.2021
'Wonder material' phosphorene nanoribbons live up to hype in first demonstration
’Wonder material’ phosphorene nanoribbons live up to hype in first demonstration
Phosphorene nanoribbons have been incorporated into new types of solar cells, dramatically improving the cells' efficiency, in a new study led by UCL and Imperial College London researchers. Phosphorene nanoribbons (PNRs) are ribbon-like strands of the 2D material phosphorous, which, similar to graphene, are made of single-atom-thick layers of atoms.

Materials Science - 15.12.2021
New approach to predicting battery failure could help maintain electricity for millions around the world
The new method of predicting battery failure is 15 - 20% more accurate than current approaches. Millions of people around the world lack access to electricity. Decentralised solar-battery systems are key for addressing this whilst avoiding carbon emissions and air pollution, but are hindered by relatively high costs and rural locations that inhibit timely preventative maintenance.

Chemistry - Materials Science - 30.11.2021
Miniature grinding mill closes in on the details of 'green' chemical reactions
Miniature grinding mill closes in on the details of ’green’ chemical reactions
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new approach for observing mechanochemical reactions - where simple ingredients are ground up to make new chemical compounds and materials that can be used in anything from the pharmaceutical to the metallurgical, cement and mineral industries.

Chemistry - Materials Science - 25.11.2021
'Super jelly' can survive being run over by a car | University of Cambridge
’Super jelly’ can survive being run over by a car | University of Cambridge
Researchers have developed a jelly-like material that can withstand the equivalent of an elephant standing on it, and completely recover to its original shape, even though it's 80% water. At 80% water content, you'd think it would burst apart like a water balloon, but it doesn't: it stays intact and withstands huge compressive forces Oren Scherman The soft-yet-strong material, developed by a team at the , looks and feels like a squishy jelly, but acts like an ultra-hard, shatterproof glass when compressed, despite its high water content.

Materials Science - Physics - 22.11.2021
Mystery of high-performing solar cell materials revealed in stunning clarity | University of Cambridge
Mystery of high-performing solar cell materials revealed in stunning clarity | University of Cambridge
Researchers have visualised, for the first time, why perovskites - materials which could replace silicon in next-generation solar cells - are seemingly so tolerant of defects in their structure. The findings , led by researchers from the , are published .

Materials Science - Physics - 29.10.2021
LEDs and smartphone screens could be made from next-generation glass | University of Cambridge
LEDs and smartphone screens could be made from next-generation glass | University of Cambridge
Cracked and blurry phone screens could someday be a thing of the past, suggests a new study from the and the University of Queensland, Australia. This is an example of how fundamental science leads to fantastic discoveries and possible real-life applications Thomas Bennett The international team of researchers has developed technology for next-generation composite glass, for use in lighting LEDs, smartphones, TVs and computer screens.

Materials Science - Physics - 20.10.2021
Flexible sensors slide into the future with new approach to electronic printing
A new method of 'sliding' delicate high-performance electronics onto flexible surfaces could enable future developments in electronics, scientists say. Engineers from the University of Glasgow claim they have found a way to solve one of the key problems of contact printing - a method of planting electronics onto bendable plastic surfaces to create flexible electronic circuits and devices.

Materials Science - Innovation - 04.10.2021
Space habitats for life beyond earth revealed as Manchester takes next graphene-enhanced leap
Advanced manufacturing experts from Manchester have revealed what human life in space could look like - with a graphene-enhanced space habitat developed to meet anticipated demand for human settlements beyond Earth. A community of specialists at The University of Manchester have teamed up with global architect firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to research the design and manufacturing of space habitats for the space industry.

Materials Science - 23.08.2021
Phosphorescent material inspired by 'glow in the dark' wood
Phosphorescent material inspired by ’glow in the dark’ wood
Researchers have developed a new phosphorescent material from lignin, a major component of wood. Last updated on Wednesday 25 August 2021 Scientists have harnessed the natural ability of wood to faintly glow to develop a new sustainable phosphorescent material that could potentially be used in a wide number of applications, from medical imaging and optical sensing to 'glow in the dark' dyes and paints.

Materials Science - Electroengineering - 17.08.2021
Perovskite: the material that allows a greener fabrication of transistors
Perovskite: the material that allows a greener fabrication of transistors
Physicists find a way to make components for low-cost electronics using a material that's highly rated for its performance in next-gen solar cells and LEDs. Last updated on Tuesday 17 August 2021 Physicists have found a way to make transistors using materials that are highly rated for their performance in next-generation solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Materials Science - Physics - 23.06.2021
Low-cost imaging technique shows how smartphone batteries could charge in minutes
Low-cost imaging technique shows how smartphone batteries could charge in minutes
Researchers have developed a simple lab-based technique that allows them to look inside lithium-ion batteries and follow lithium ions moving in real time as the batteries charge and discharge, something which has not been possible until now. This technique could be an important piece of the puzzle in the development of next-generation batteries Christoph Schnedermann Using the low-cost technique, the researchers identified the speed-limiting processes which, if addressed, could enable the batteries in most smartphones and laptops to charge in as little as five minutes.

Materials Science - 16.06.2021
Honeycomb plastics offer a PEEK into future of smart prosthetic design
A new form of lightweight, impact-resistant plastic-based 'honeycomb' structures which can sense when they have been damaged could find use in new forms of 'smart' prosthetics and medical implants, its inventors suggest. In a new paper published today in the journal Materials & Design , a University of Glasgow-led team of engineers describe how they have used 3D printing techniques to add new properties to a plastic known as polyether ether ketone, or PEEK.

Physics - Materials Science - 09.06.2021
Mixing solutions in the world’s smallest test tubes
Researchers based at The University of Manchester have demonstrated a new method for imaging live chemical reactions with atomic resolution using nanoscale test tubes created using two-dimensional (2D) materials. The ability to observe solution-based chemical reactions with sub-nanometre resolution in real time has been highly sought after since the invention of the electron microscope 90 years ago.

Physics - Materials Science - 01.06.2021
Why deep freezing iron-based materials makes them both magnetic and superconducting
Why deep freezing iron-based materials makes them both magnetic and superconducting
Physicists at Bath have uncovered a new mechanism for enabling magnetism and superconductivity to co-exist in the same material. Last updated on Thursday 3 June 2021 Physicists at the University of Bath, in collaboration with researchers from the USA, have uncovered a new mechanism for enabling magnetism and superconductivity to co-exist in the same material.

Physics - Materials Science - 28.05.2021
Breakthrough in 3D magnetic nanostructures could transform modern-day computing
Breakthrough in 3D magnetic nanostructures could transform modern-day computing
Scientists have taken a step towards the creation of powerful devices that harness magnetic charge by creating the first ever three-dimensional replica of a material known as a 'spin-ice'. Spin ice materials are extremely unusual as they possess so-called defects which behave as the single pole of a magnet.

Physics - Materials Science - 10.05.2021
Parallel universes cross in Flatland
Parallel universes cross in Flatland
Physicists at the University of Bath observe modified energy landscapes at the intersection of 2D materials. Last updated on Tuesday 11 May 2021 In 1884, Edwin Abbott wrote the novel Flatland: A Romance in Many Dimensions as a satire of Victorian hierarchy. He imagined a world that existed only in two dimensions, where the beings are 2D geometric figures.

Materials Science - 22.04.2021
Inspired by nature, the research to develop a new load-bearing material
Inspired by nature, the research to develop a new load-bearing material
Engineers have developed a material that mimics human cartilage - the body's shock absorbing and lubrication system, and it could herald the development of a new generation of lightweight bearings. Cartilage is a soft fibrous tissue found around joints which provides protection from the compressive loading generated by walking, running or lifting.

Materials Science - Chemistry - 30.03.2021
Research given significant boost to develop lithium-rich battery cathodes
A team of scientists, including those based at the University of Oxford as part of the Faraday Institution CATMAT project, researching next-generation cathode materials have made a significant breakthrough in understanding oxygen-redox processes involved in lithium-rich cathode materials. The paper proposes strategies that offer potential routes to increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries.

Materials Science - Chemistry - 22.03.2021
Recyclable ’veggie’ battery could power future devices
A new type of 3D-printed battery which uses electrodes made from vegetable starch and carbon nanotubes could provide mobile devices with a more environmentally-friendly, higher-capacity source of power. A team of engineers led from the University of Glasgow have developed the battery in a bid to make more sustainable lithium-ion batteries capable of storing and delivering power more efficiently.