With the drastic increase in demand for lithium, new sources and extraction methods are needed to secure sufficient supply. Princeton University researchers led development of a new passive method for extraction of lithium from saltwater. The method, if advanced to industrial scale, could significantly decrease both the time and amount of land necessary for lithium production.
Read More
Many animals in nature have special pigment cells that allow them to change the color of their skin in response to various stimuli. Now, Northeastern University researchers combined one of those pigments, called xanthommatin, with titanium dioxide to create a paint that can rapidly and reversibly change color in response to light.
Read More
Theoretical studies have predicted that 2D silicon carbide in a stable honeycomb structure is possible, but experimentally achieving this material has proven difficult. Two recent papers successfully synthesized monolayer silicon carbide using top-down and bottom-up synthesis methods, respectively.
Read More
In vitro studies have demonstrated the potential of graphene oxide to help treat Alzheimer’s disease by preventing the buildup of harmful amyloid-β aggregates. Researchers in Sweden and Denmark used yeast as a model system to explore graphene oxide’s potential in vivo.
Read More
Ceramic materials that can self-heal cracks would help reduce maintenance and inspection costs while enhancing component reliability and lifespan. Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities made a counterintuitive discovery of a new way to self-heal cracks in ceramics—through electron beam radiolysis.
Read More
Quantum dots are emerging as a cost-effective materials system for both emitting and detecting mid-infrared light. Philippe Guyot-Sionnest’s group at the University of Chicago is working on developing this technology, and their latest paper describes a quantum-dot-based light source that is as efficient as current commercial devices.
Read More
Breath analyzers are handheld, rapid testing devices that could transform how the medical community diagnoses diseases and disorders. A new program housed under the U.S. Department of Defense aims to accelerate development of breath analyzers for rapid diagnosis of respiratory illnesses among warfighters. The program has so far provided funding to three different organizations, including ACerS Fellow Perena Gouma’s research group at The Ohio State University.
Read More
In recent decades, researchers have explored using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a scaffold for programmable nanostructures. Now, researchers at Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, and Brookhaven National Laboratory collaborated to show that glass-coated DNA scaffolds have potential as lightweight and high-strength materials.
Read More
More and more companies and organizations are considering the potential of mycelium, the root-like structure of most fungi, as a green construction material. Today’s CTT spotlights several recent innovations in this area.
Read More
Fog catching provides people living in dry but foggy areas with a stable water source. But air pollution can make the collected water unsafe for use unless it is treated. Researchers led by ETH Zurich developed a system for simultaneously harvesting and cleaning the water collected from fog nets.
Read More