Dec
21
Research Shows How Wood Can be Used Like Sand And Plastic
December 21, 2021 | Leave a Comment
Aalto University scientists have taken a close look at how lignocellulose – or plant biomass such as wood – can be used for optical applications, potentially replacing commonly used materials like sand and plastics. A digital, urbanized world consumes huge amounts of raw materials that could hardly be called environmentally friendly. One promising solution may […]
Dec
16
Catch Up To the New MXene Electrodes For Next Gen Batteries
December 16, 2021 | Leave a Comment
City University of Hong Kong researchers’ latest findings may lead to a breakthrough in inventing the powerful battery of the next generation. Two-dimensional MXene has been a rising star in the energy world as this material can store energy fast. But their unstable voltage output limits their battery applications. A collaborative research team has recently […]
Dec
15
Would Connecting The Eastern & Western Power Grids Help?
December 15, 2021 | Leave a Comment
Today two of the biggest power grids on the planet are connected by only seven small threads. Those seven threads (technically, they’re back-to-back, high-voltage, direct-current connections) join America’s Eastern and Western interconnections and have 1,320 megawatts of electric-power handling capacity. The seam separating the eastern and western grids runs, roughly, from eastern Montana, down the […]
Dec
14
The View Of Piezoelectric Materials Is Getting An Update
December 14, 2021 | Leave a Comment
For years, researchers believed that the smaller the domain size in a ferroelectric crystal, the greater the piezoelectric properties of the material. However, recent findings by Penn State researchers have raised questions about this standard rule. Piezoelectricity is a material property where a crystal generates electrical charge under an applied mechanical force. This capability enables […]
Dec
9
The Dream Battery Gets Closer to Reality
December 9, 2021 | Leave a Comment
University of Texas at Austin engineers have created a sodium-sulfur battery that solves one of the biggest hurdles that has held back the technology as a commercially viable alternative to the ubiquitous lithium-ion batteries that power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. Sodium and sulfur stand out as appealing materials for future battery production because […]