It is cheaper its analogues, easier to manufacture and to modify. A new type of material for one of the solar cells was proposed by specialists of the Ural Federal University (UrFU) and the Institute of Organic Synthesis of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences together with their colleagues. The compounds found will significantly reduce the cost of solar cell production. The article was published in the New Journal of Chemistry. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a…

Findings hold potential to greatly enhance energy density of lithium batteries. A team of researchers has discovered a new mechanism to stabilize the lithium metal electrode and electrolyte in lithium metal batteries. This new mechanism, which does not depend on the traditional kinetic approach, has potential to greatly enhance the energy density — the amount of energy stored relative to the weight or volume — of batteries. The team published their findings in the journal Nature Energy. Lithium metal batteries…

Scientists at TU Dresden have succeeded in synthesizing new phosphorescent, platinum-based emitter complexes for high-brightness and long-life OLEDs. The results were published this week in the renowned journal “Chemistry – A European Journal”. Due to their flexible applications and comparatively low manufacturing costs, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are increasingly conquering the electronics market, for example in cell phone displays or TV screens. Compared with conventional (inorganic) light-emitting diodes, however, OLEDs still lag behind, especially in terms of longevity and luminous…

Anisoprint arrived at Jacobs University Bremen. Starting in September 2022, 3D printing solution provider Anisoprint deployed their Research and Development Team at Jacobs University Bremen. The main focus of the partnership? Fostering research and development of composites manufacturing with Continuous Fiber Coextrusion (CFC) technology, and establishing a research environment for 3D printing technologies on the university campus in Bremen, Germany. Following the announcement of the cooperation between Anisoprint and Jacobs University, the startup team moved their R&D operations to Bremen…

… could enable circular home furnishings and building materials. Plastics used in home furnishings and constructions materials could be replaced with a new kind of wood-based degradable plastic with semi-structural strength. Unlike thermoplastic, the material can be broken down without harm to the environment, researchers in Sweden have reported. One of the goals of renewable wood composite development is to make materials strong enough to replace fossil-based materials used in home construction and furnishing, such as bathroom cabinets, doors, wall-boards…

Jellyfish-like soft gripper mimics the mechanics of curly hair. If you’ve ever played the claw game at an arcade, you know how hard it is to grab and hold onto objects using robotics grippers. Imagine how much more nerve-wracking that game would be if, instead of plush stuffed animals, you were trying to grab a fragile piece of endangered coral or a priceless artifact from a sunken ship. Most of today’s robotic grippers rely on embedded sensors, complex feedback loops,…

A research team, affiliated with UNIST has succeeded in achieving a power conversion efficiency (PEC) of 23.50% in a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell built with a special textured anti-reflective coating (ARC) polymeric film. According to the research team, the PCE of the device with the ARC film was sustained for 120 hours, maintaining 91% of its initial value. This breakthrough has been led by Professor Kyoung Jin Choi and his research team in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UNIST, in collaboration…

Scientists have developed fluorophores that are 2.4 to 20 times more intense than analogues. Scientists have developed, synthesized, and studied a series of new fluorophores, a luminous chemical compound. These are the new cyanopyrazine-based bullet systems. Studies have shown that the presence of cyanogroup substance in the composition of fluorophores significantly increases the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). This means that they can be used for create new materials to enhance the brightness of displays on smartphones, computers, and…

… opens door to widespread use of portable spectrometers. Scientists including an Oregon State University materials researcher have developed a better tool to measure light, contributing to a field known as optical spectrometry in a way that could improve everything from smartphone cameras to environmental monitoring. The study, published today in Science, was led by Finland’s Aalto University and resulted in a powerful, ultra-tiny spectrometer that fits on a microchip and is operated using artificial intelligence. The research involved a…

Scientists at DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials have come one step closer to the objective of producing functional synthetic cells. The research group is probing the necessary ingredients for the design and development of materials with the ability to communicate and function with living matter. Such materials are used to study and develop antimicrobial surfaces or coatings that interact with blood for example. The research at DWI was directed by former working group leader César Rodriguez-Emmenegger, who is…

NEFTON consortium working on test bench. A science and industry consortium is working on a testing station to achieve significantly higher charging rates than have been possible in the past. This is intended to increase the electrification of heavy-load transports in the future. More robust charging points and accordingly configured vehicle components are to drastically reduce charging times for heavy-duty trucks, making electric drives more attractive to freight carriers. The project’s objective is to reduce battery charging time to only…

Just like a pianist who learns to play their instrument without looking at the keys or a basketball player who puts in countless hours to throw a seemingly effortless jump shot, UCLA mechanical engineers have designed a new class of material that can learn behaviors over time and develop a “muscle memory” of its own, allowing for real-time adaptation to changing external forces. The material is composed of a structural system made up of tunable beams that can alter its…

Photocatalysis-based prompt and complete removal of trace amount of alcohol in water. Alcohols are used to remove impurities on the surface of semiconductors or electronics during the manufacturing process, and wastewater containing alcohols is treated using reverse osmosis, ozone, and biological decomposition. Although such methods can lower the alcohol concentration in wastewater, they are ineffective at completely decomposing alcohols in wastewater with a low alcohol concentration. This is because alcohol is miscible in water, making it impossible to completely separate…

What if the cloth changes its visual appearance when you stretch your hand?… such mechanoresponsive material has enormous potential in a large range of transformative applications in the beauty and health industry. Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Elastomer (CLCE) is a structurally coloured polymer system capable of changing its colour by mechanical deformation, due to the coupling of colour of helically aligned liquid crystal molecules and the viscoelasticity of rubber. Prof. Jan Lagerwall, Dr. Yong Geng and Rijeesh Kizhakidathazhath at the University…

They will be useful in creating electric motors for pacemakers. Scientists from the Ural Federal University and the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are determining the optimal conditions for 3D printing of permanent magnets from hard magnetic compounds based on rare-earth metals. This will make it possible to start small-scale production of magnets, give them any shape during manufacturing, and create complex configurations of magnets. Such magnets are suitable for miniature electric motors and electric generators, on…

… to achieve carbon neutrality. KIMM develops 30% hydrogen combustor for domestic gas turbine. Cooperation with KIMM, Doosan Enerbility and Korea East-West Power Company to demonstrate the combustor on power plant by 2027. An eco-friendly hydrogen combustor for domestic gas turbine that reduces carbon dioxide emissions has been developed and will be undergoing field test. The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Sang Jin Park, hereafter referred to as the KIMM), an institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry…