Researchers at the National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) de Lyon report that introducing a plasticizer into “electrostrictive polymers” materials offers an efficient way to improve their mechanical energy harvesting performance. The group of smart materials known as “electrostrictive polymers” have been explored for their potential mechanical energy harvesting abilities as a viable method for […]

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) scientists have developed a solar-panel material that can cut down on perovskite based photovoltaic costs. Meanwhile the new cells achieve a competitive power conversion efficiency of 20.2%. Today, some of the most promising solar cells today use light-harvesting films made from perovskites – a group of materials that share […]

A team of researchers led by Virginia Tech has used chemical micropatterns to control the growth of frost caused by condensation. Its a discovery that may lead to ways to prevent frost on airplane and wind turbine wings and blades, heat pump and air conditioning condenser coils, and even windshields. The researchers made a beetle-inspired […]

Researchers at the BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are looking beyond the usual suspected bugs in the search for microbes that can efficiently break down inedible plant matter for conversion to biofuels. A new comparative study finds the natural abilities of unconventional bacteria could help boost the efficiency of […]

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have published a new study that reveals the key market and system drivers for low-priced photovoltaic systems. The price of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on homes and small businesses spans a wide range, so this study will benefit anyone interested in […]

keep looking »
css.php