[Image above] Credit: ACerS
ENERGY
Digital twin reveals route to faster-charging, longer-lasting EV batteries(opens in new tab)
Researchers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology constructed a 3D digital twin to quantitatively analyze localized degradation mechanisms during fast charging in batteries. The results showed that the internal degradation behavior of graphite anodes could differ significantly depending on how the binder and pore space were arranged inside the electrode.
Piezoelectric effect discovered in diamond membranes(opens in new tab)
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong discovered that ultrathin, highly flexible diamond membranes can produce a measurable piezoelectric response. The unexpected discovery could open the door to diamond-powered sensors, tiny energy systems, and self-powered medical implants.
ENVIRONMENT
In the Amazon and Congo rainforests, investigative journalists are using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to expose groups that operate in secret, extracting gold and minerals from some of the world’s most remote regions.
Decarbonizing cement production with plasma heating(opens in new tab)
Stanford University researchers used plasma heating to generate temperatures above 4,352°F, which allowed raw materials to be fused into cement clinkers within seconds. Unlike traditional cement production that operates at 30–40% thermal efficiency, nearly 80% of the heat generated during plasma heating was channeled into producing cement.
MANUFACTURING
Faster, cheaper, cleaner way to pattern carbon nanotubes(opens in new tab)
Researchers from Skoltech, Harbin Institute of Technology, and ITMO University demonstrated a way to deposit nanotube patterns in a single-stage process that does not waste material or introduce additional reactants. The new technique involves the use of a conventional pressing tool and a nitrocellulose membrane.
Beijing Institute of Technology researchers reported a novel multiscale all-ceramic composite for multifunctional thermal protection and electromagnetic wave absorption. This material consists of a silicon carbide fiber scaffold, assembled via room-temperature ceramic papermaking, and inter-fiber silicon carbide nanowires, grown via chemical vapor infiltration.
Recycled concrete as coarse aggregates in structural-grade concrete(opens in new tab)
Researchers from Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, in collaboration with University of Surrey, demonstrated that recycled concrete and mixed aggregates can be incorporated into structural-grade concrete without compromising performance, provided certain technical limits are respected.
OTHER STORIES
Quantum dots that keep shining under heat(opens in new tab)
Koç University researchers showed that both heat-induced structural degradation and energy losses can be limited at the same time in quantum dots if the internal crystal structure is strengthened concurrently with protecting the surface.
Molecular trick opens the door to a new generation of glass(opens in new tab)
Researchers at TU Dortmund University, Paderborn University, the University of Duisburg-Essen, and the University of Oxford developed a new method for selectively modifying the internal structure of specific types of glass. Specifically, the addition of an organic molecule during melting causes the chemical bonds in the material to rearrange themselves.
Two superconducting states hiding as one(opens in new tab)
Niobium diselenide and tantalum disulfide appeared to have a single superconducting state, but highly sensitive measurements by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers revealed that each actually contains two strongly interacting states working so closely together that they masquerade as one.
A transistor that operates at 600°C(opens in new tab)
Kyoto University researchers developed a junction field-effect transistor made from silicon carbide that can operate successfully at 600°C. The adoption of the bottom-gate structure significantly improved the transistor’s threshold voltage controllability and drastically reduced the leakage current.
New Raleigh tennis complex will have French red clay courts(opens in new tab)
Swing Racquet + Paddle, a massive racquet sports complex being built near Brier Creek in Raleigh, N.C., plans to feature something rare in North American sports: red clay tennis courts.