We use lithium-ion batteries in our electronics every day, but getting the materials to build them isn’t very environmentally friendly. Let’s learn about a new way to recover one of these materials from burnt plants!
Category: Materials
3 questions explaining “What, Where and How” of the new exotic phase of matter – TOPOLOGICAL MATERIALS
We have always been told that do not compare apples and oranges! They are completely different! Well a mathematical theory based on surface of material finds them similar. This theory applied by physicists in materials research has discovered new exotic phase of matter called topological materials. In this article, learn about the unique nature of this exotic phase, approaches to make these materials and their wide-spread applications.
Common Sense Recycling – Turning Waste Cables into Electrochemical Sensors
Modern technology is evolving at a mind-blowing rate, but what should we do with all of the obsolete hardware? Researchers are finding clever ways of recycling the old material – check it out!
The Sci Art Collaboration that Powers Up!
Art could show the beauty of science. But art could also put science to work in real life!
Let’s learn from researchers about how origami can turn paper into a real battery!
From Sunscreen to Solar Cells: What’s Happening on TiO2‘s Surface?
The controversy over TiO2’s hydrophilic/hydrophobic transition has been examined in new detail – with researchers concluding that atmospheric molecules can attach onto TiO2’s surface, changing its chemical properties.
Plasmonic Stamps: Simple Color Control
Optical electronics are the future of technology. Take a look at how a new printing technique may enable chip scale manipulation of light via gold nanoparticles.
Printing Carbon Nanotube Patterns Using Electron Beams
Carbon nanotubes have material properties straight out of a science fiction novel. Yet, it is still difficult to assemble carbon nanotubes into organized structures where the science fiction-like properties can really shine. Discover what researchers are doing to solve this problem!
“Plenty of Room at the Bottom” for Quantum Dots
Control at the atomic scale is being realized by researchers across the world through synthesis of quantum dot materials. Take a look at an overview of what makes these tiny particles so special.
Safer Industrial Particle Filters
Learn how researchers design and test safer air filters to combat air pollution!
Deep Neural Networks Are Identifying the Next Generation of Materials
Machine learning? Deep neural networks? Find out how advances in artificial intelligence could help scientists discover new materials.
Chemistry and the cannon balls preservation
How can chemistry help preserve our cultural heritage?
Metal Nanowires made Possible
Nanowires are part of the future of smaller, smarter electronics. Here’s a interesting new method of making metal nanowires.
Can the sea help solve climate change?
The sea can sequestrate carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and some rocks can help to enhance this phenomenon! But which ones? and how?
Charges that challenge scientists!
Rub a ruler with a wool and hold it towards paper bits, then you’d find the ruler attracts papers. This may sound a common sense to you – the two surfaces have opposite charges.
But now, researchers find that not all materials behave the same and the reason is still a mystery.
Let’s take a look at the charges that challenges scientists!
Making surfaces oil repelling with a coating of tannic acid!
Making surfaces that oil can’t stick to is important for cleaning up oil spills and other pollution. Let’s find out about a new way to coat surfaces that makes them repel oil!
Controlling Adhesives with Light!
Let’s learn about a new material that can be made sticky or not sticky with just light!
GRID SCALE ENERGY STORAGE: A NEW MANGANESE-HYDROGEN BATTERY
For solar and wind to be viable technologies, large scale and cost effective batteries are sorely needed. Now, researchers have made a totally new type of battery, based on cheap manganese sulfate, that fits this bill. Their large proof-of-concept proptoype battery reached ~97% and powered a blue LED for hours!
Mood Lighting: Colorful Coatings for Smart Windows
Feeling blue? The chemistry of new “smart windows” could help – with a coating that adjusts to the outside temperature and a color filter that you can switch at will, they could be the perfect mood lighting for your energy-efficient home.
Controlling Crystallinity and Porosity of Covalent Organic Frameworks with Hydrogen Bonding
This work reports a solvent-free solid-to-solid synthesis method for covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which is very promising from a greener and cleaner chemistry standpoint. The researchers found that hydrogen bonding within the starting material plays a key role on the porosity and crystallinity of the final COF.
Using lasers to make graphene on the surface of food!
Graphene is a wonder-material that is nearly indestructible, conducts electricity, and flexible enough to be worn. Let’s learn how to make it with lasers on the surface of carbon-based materials!
Double Perovskite Nanocrystals: New Synthesis and Structures for Solar Energy
Lead based perovskite is an exciting new material for solar energy, but it’s based on lead. These researchers found a way around that, making new double perovskite materials based on silver and bismuth. This new synthesis has exciting future in making perovskite solar panels into a environmentally friendly technology.
Making computers from molecules – Molecular Turing Machines
In this article, explore the tiny molecules that could be used for computational work in future of smartphones! Inspired by your own body, machines made from molecules could be the next generation of computers!
Intricate Balance of Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen Adsorption for Catalysis
With metal catalysts, we can extract electricity from CO2 – reducing carbon emissions and creating renewable energy tech at the same time! There’s just one little problem, and it’s name is hydrogen…
Freedom from Wires: Solar-Charging Perovskite Batteries
Ever had your phone die out of nowhere? Wonder how you’re going to charge your Tesla on your next road trip? Researchers from the University of Cambridge have got your back – they’ve developed a single material that doubles as a battery and a solar cell.
Turn on the lights and get your 3D printouts!
Printing is cool, but 3D printing is cooler! Instead of words on a page, you can print spoons and forks and even houses! And today, you’ll see the coolest 3D printing – printing chains of molecules, simply with light!