[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Researchers develop graphene aerosol gel inks for printing micro-supercapacitors
Researchers from Kansas State University showed potential ways to manufacture graphene-based nano-inks for additive manufacturing of supercapacitors in the form of flexible and printable electronics.
Using thermogravimetric analysis to determine ‘fake’ graphene
A research collaboration between The University of Adelaide in Australia and the National Physical Laboratory has led to the development of a validated analytical tool, thermogravimetric analysis, for the characterization and quality control of few layer graphene and non-graphene impurities in powder form.
ENERGY
Breathing new life into fuel cells
Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin discovered new dynamics that could supercharge a sluggish part of the core chemical reaction in fuel cells by using iron-based single-atom catalysts.
Energy saving technologies in the IT sector: Controlling ferrimagnets by voltage
An international research team led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology demonstrated 180° magnetization reversal by voltage-induced hydrogen loading into ferrimagnets. Such magnetization reversal by purely electric fields is difficult from fundamental principles, but it promises a big reduction in energy consumption for magnetization switching.
Birnessite study offers insights for electrochemistry, energy storage
North Carolina State University researchers used both experimental and computational approaches to investigate the mechanism by which birnessite—a hydrated layered form of manganese oxide—can uptake and release cations. They showed that water in between the layers effectively serves as a buffer that makes capacitive behavior possible.
ENVIRONMENT
Gold, silver, brass medals: Tokyo’s Olympic medals made from recycled electronic devices
At the Tokyo Olympics, 100% of the metals in the medals have been recycled. Between 2017 and 2019, people across Japan donated old electronic devices, which had the precious metals extracted from them. In total, the government collected several million tonnes of equipment.
New tests can detect tiny but toxic particles of coal ash in soil
Scientists at Duke University developed a suite of four new tests that can be used to detect coal ash contamination in soil with unprecedented sensitivity. The new tests are designed to be used together to provide independent corroborations of whether fly ash particles are present in a soil sample and if so, at what proportion to the total soil.
Researchers demonstrate technique for recycling nanowires in electronics
Researchers at North Carolina State University demonstrated a low-cost technique for retrieving nanowires from electronic devices that have reached the end of their utility and then using those nanowires in new devices.
Optimizing phase change material usage could reduce power plant water consumption
Texas A&M University researchers showed that specific phase change materials can cool steam turbines used in power plants, averting fresh water usage. They also used machine-learning techniques to enhance the reliability and energy storage capacity of various PCM-based cooling platforms to develop powerful “cold batteries” that dispatch on demand.
UK research team reduces embodied carbon in concrete
The Decarbonising Precast Concrete project managed to cut the embodied carbon emissions in precast structural concrete by 40%. The project involves examining every decision in the traditional method of building with precast materials through the lens of carbon and developing a new, whole-process approach.
Geologists take Earth’s inner temperature using erupted sea glass
Geologists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology analyzed thousands of samples of erupted material along ocean ridges and traced back their chemical history to estimate the temperature of the Earth’s interior.
OTHER STORIES
Through the thin-film glass, researchers spot a new liquid phase
The Pennsylvania State University researchers described a new type of liquid in thin films, which forms a high-density glass. They demonstrated how these glasses and other similar materials can be fabricated to be denser and more stable, providing a framework for developing new applications and devices through better design.
Wirelessly charging multiple devices simultaneously
Researchers report a new type of wireless charger can charge multiple devices simultaneously. The device transfers energy with 90% efficiency within a 20-centimeter charging range. The research team has already applied for a patent for the transmitter.
Superconductivity in high-Tc cuprates: ‘from maximal to minimal dissipation’
Researchers used some of Europe’s strongest continuous magnetic fields to uncover evidence of exotic charge carriers in the metallic state of copper-oxide high-temperature superconductors. The team postulated that it is these exotic charge carriers that form the superconducting pairs, in marked contrast with expectations from conventional theory.
Now in 3D: Deep learning techniques help visualize X-ray data in three dimensions
Argonne National Laboratory researchers leveraged artificial intelligence to train computers to keep up with the massive amounts of X-ray data taken at the Advanced Photon Source. The new computational framework can create 3D visualizations from data collected at the APS hundreds of times faster than traditional methods can.
New AI-based tools to accelerate functional electronic materials discovery
An interdisciplinary team of scientists from Northwestern University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology used artificial intelligence techniques to build new, free, and easy-to-use tools that allow scientists to accelerate the rate of discovery and study of materials that exhibit a metal-insulator transition.
British Museum to restore ancient vessels shattered in Beirut explosion
The British Museum in London, supported by the European Fine Art Foundation, announced that it will restore eight ancient glass vessels that were gravely damaged in the Beirut port explosion of 2020.
Webinar: Water-mediated intercalation mechanisms in transition metal oxides
This webinar on August 18 reviews the mechanistic understanding of water-mediated ion intercalation in transition metal oxides. Topics covered include the role of ordered and confined water networks in transition metal oxide hydrates, and the role of disordered and confined water networks in electrochemical capacitor materials.