[Image above] Credit: ACerS
ENERGY
Researchers unlock sodium-based electrochromic capacity in nanorods
Researchers from Seoul National University of Science and Technology leveraged thermally removable dopants to unlock the electrochromic capacity of sodium-based smart windows. This development leads to efficient heat-shielding performance without relying on expensive lithium-based systems, even with an ultrathin film thickness of 150 nm.
New process densifies and stabilizes sulphide-based solid electrolyte
Paul Scherrer Institute researchers developed a new production process for all-solid-state batteries. Instead of the classic sintering process, they chose a gentler approach in which the argyrodite mineral Li₆PS₅Cl was compressed under moderate pressure and at a moderate temperature of only about 80°C.
Silver-based protective layer boosts all-solid-state battery performance
Stanford University researchers created an ultrathin silver coating for solid electrolytes that toughens the surface of the electrolyte fivefold against fracturing from mechanical pressure. It also makes existing imperfections much less vulnerable to lithium burrowing.
ENVIRONMENT
Microplastics are undermining the ocean’s power to absorb carbon
By interfering with plankton, microbes, and natural carbon cycles, microplastics reduce the ocean’s ability to regulate global temperatures, according to researchers led by the University of Sharjah. They also warn that microplastics release greenhouse gases as they degrade, further amplifying their impact on the climate system.
Ceramic paving offers a new approach to managing urban flood risks
In Spain’s Valencia region, an innovative type of permeable ceramic paving is being developed to help cities better manage heavy rainfall and reduce urban flooding risks. The system redesigns traditional footpaths by placing ceramic tiles on their sides with gaps between them, allowing rainwater to infiltrate the ground instead of running off into drainage systems.
MANUFACTURING
Researchers develop low-cost lenses for advanced microscopy using 3D printing
University of Strathclyde researchers demonstrated a new method for producing high-quality optical lenses for super-resolution microscopy using consumer-grade 3D printers—costing less than £1 each to make. They used their technique to achieve a resolution of around 150 nanometers when imaging microtubules in a cell’s cytoskeleton.
Production costs of oxide-based solid electrolytes reduced by more than 90%
Researchers at Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science demonstrated ultradense, large-area solid electrolyte membranes by applying a method that coats solid electrolyte powders with multifunctional compounds, reducing production costs to one-tenth of conventional levels.
Researchers propose method to synthesize high-temperature ceramic coatings in one step
Researchers of Tomsk Polytechnic University obtained multicomponent carbides and carbonitrides in the form of coatings on metals using plasmodynamic synthesis in one step. The thickness of the finished material, which forms a cubic crystalline phase without impurities, reaches up to 20 microns.
OTHER STORIES
Scientists uncover new quantum state
Rice University researchers found that strong interactions among electrons can produce topological behavior. They developed a theoretical model predicting how electrons behave when subjected to both strong interactions and topological effects. Traditionally, these quantum phenomena were studied separately.
Building the world’s first open-source quantum computer
University of Waterloo researchers are prioritizing collaboration over competition to advance quantum computer development through Open Quantum Design, a nonprofit organization that boasts the world’s first open-source, full stack quantum computer.