Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-nanocomposite-boost-dissipation-thin-electronics.html "aqueous suspension of CFs and CNFs... liquid 3D patterning... nanocomposite consisting cellulose matrix... uniaxially aligned carbon fibers. To test the... thermal conductivity... laser-spot periodic heating radiation thermometry... high in-plane thermal conductivity anisotropy 433%... conductivity 7.8 W/mK... 1.8 W/mK  in-plane orthogonal direction... powder electroluminescent (EL) device... CF/CNF film... cool two closely placed pseudo heat sources without any thermal interference" Related: An energy-efficient method to enhance thermal conductivity of polymer composites https://phys.org/news/2022-11-energy-efficient-method-thermal-polymer-composites.html Single-electron devices could manage heat flow in electronic components https://phys.org/news/2022-12-single-electron-devices-electronic-components.html Electronic bridge allows rapid energy sharing between semiconductors https://phys.org/n...

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-expert-discusses-power-consumption-next-gen.html "physical environment, existing infrastructure, predefined installation criteria, bandwidth needs of human and non-human users, EMF guidelines... technology- and vendor-agnostic radio access network design tool... 3D model populating with virtual users enables network designers calculate amount, locations, and power levels of base stations to ensure optimal coverage within a given area. It already supports a variety of technologies and will be continuously updated to include emerging ones such as mmWave Related: Digital signal processing for high-capacity indoor optical wireless communication systems https://techxplore.com/news/2022-10-digital-high-capacity-indoor-optical-wireless.html

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-surface-atomic-next-generation-electronics.html "modification surface symmetry without touching inside... new control method for topological electronic states... surface electronic structure and conducting property controlled through fabrication... control topologically protected electronic structures and physical properties... topological surface electronic state... many degrees freedom... flexibly controlled manipulating surface atomic structure... low power consumption and high speed... information transfer quantum computers"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-spiral-dislocation-3d-topological-photonics.html "combines the concept of synthetic dimensions with a specific type of defect—a so-called screw dislocation. This judiciously placed defect continuously connects the individual planes of the lattice by twisting them around a central axis similar to a corkscrew. Co-author and Ph.D. student Julius Beck explains that "like transforming a loose stack of rings into a seamlessly connected spiral, this intentional defect allowed us to create the first 3D topological insulator for light"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-discovery-nanowire-enable-powerful-chips.html "optomechanical sensor 20 times more sensitive than existing nanowire-based devices. Nanowires... diameters 1,000X smaller than human hair and fascinating physical properties... energy harvesters and sensors, to information and quantum technologies. In particular, their minuscule size could allow the development of smaller transistors and miniaturized computer chips. A major obstacle, however, to realizing the full potential of nanowires has been the inability to precisely position them within devices"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-team-method-neural-net.html "aqueous solution  quinone molecules... two concentric ring electrodes with center disk electrode... two ring electrodes electrochemically lower and tune local pH around center disk by producing and trapping hydrogen ions... voltage applied causes electrochemical reaction to generate ionic current from disk into water... reaction rate can be sped up or down by tuning local pH... pH controls (gates) the disk's ionic current in the aqueous solution, creating an ionic counterpart of the electronic transistor"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-full-six-qubit-quantum-processor-silicon.html "quantum arrays 50 superconducting qubits... individual electrons linear array six quantum dots 90 nanometers apart... silicon chip... finely-tuned microwave radiation, magnetic fields, and electric potentials control and measure spin individual electrons... interact with each other... high initialization readout fidelities, high single-qubit gate fidelities, and high two-qubit state fidelities... increase the silicon spin qubit count while keeping the same precision as for single qubits... low error rates" Related: Boron nitride with a twist could lead to a new way to make qubits https://phys.org/news/2022-10-boron-nitride-qubits.html Physicists reach qubit computing breakthrough https://phys.org/news/2022-10-physicists-qubit-breakthrough.html Study achieves the coherent manipulation of electron spins in silicon https://phys.org/news/2023-01-coherent-electron-silicon.html

https://scienmag.com/new-multi-channel-visible-light-communication-system-uses-single-optical-path/?feed_id=34630&_unique_id=632340e07ff5b "blue diode functioned as transmitter, light emission increased as injection current increased from 10 mA to 30 mA, converting the energy and information from electrical into optical domain... emission and detection spectrums of blue light chip overlapped by about 37 nm, confirming simultaneous emission and detection... single-optical path full-duplex optical communication... two pairs MQW III-nitride diodes... 100 bits per second... saving of channel space and cost and high integration of communication"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-antiferromagnetic-materials-suitability-future-storage.html "replace ferromagnets with antiferromagnets... generate no magnetic stray fields... insensitive to magnetic fields... insensitivity and absence of stray fields... manipulating and inspecting magnetic order of antiferromagnets challenging... anisotropy, preferred orientation of magnetic moments, in antiferromagnetic cobalt oxide... orientation and strength of magnetic field... two techniques disentangle magnetic and non-magnetic effects by changing temperature and applying high magnetic fields" Related: Altermagnets: A new chapter in magnetism and thermal science https://phys.org/news/2024-02-altermagnets-chapter-magnetism-thermal-science.html  see also: Altermagnetism: A new type of magnetism, with broad implications for technology and research https://phys.org/news/2024-02-altermagnetism-magnetism-broad-implications-technology.html Good prospects for altermagnets in spin-based electroni...

  https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-conditions-impact-solar-cells-series.html "decrease in output current of a single cell or two cells connected in parallel was nearly identical to the ratio of shade to sunlight. However, for two cells running in series, there was excess power loss and a rise in temperature, which can cause further output degradation. For example, with 29.6% of the series photovoltaic module in the shade, the current decreased by 57.6%... shadow area, shadows on different cells of the module, and the connection of cells and modules, may affect the performance"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-efficiency-low-cost-solar-cells.html "Zinc oxide electron transport layer... react with Se enhance interfacial adhesion, reduce dangling bonds and reduce interfacial defects... light intensity dependent current-voltage, capacitance-voltage and temperature dependent admittance... fabricating with zinc oxide electron transport layers... retains having large absorption coefficient and photoconductive... efficiency... doubled after nine months in air... superior junction with energy band matching and tight adhesion, efficiency 1.85%" Related: EnergyStakes Leads the Charge Towards Sustainable Energy with New Solar Panel Innovations https://www.issuewire.com/energystakes-leads-the-charge-towards-sustainable-energy-with-new-solar-panel-innovations-1779370197917530

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-expansion-photovoltaics-production-high-efficiency-solar.html "throughput 15,000 to 20,000 wafers per hour... laser equipment continually processes high speed under laser scanner... rotary screen printing... integrated diffusion process and thermal oxidization into one process... Wafers stacked on top of each other... increasing throughput by factor of 2.4... contact of electrodes silicon solar cell formed on both sides in inline furnaces... three times faster belt speed... increase throughput while not compromising the efficiency of the solar cells"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-common-additive-lithium-ion-batteries-boost.html "nitrile electrolyte additive, tridentate ligand-containing 1,3,6-hexanetricarbonitrile... far outperforming... electron microscopy... HTCN additive inhibiting generation cracks and dissolution of cobalt ions... adsorbed to)  LCO and embedded in interface between cathode and electrolyte... inhibit oxidation reaction on surface... suppressed decomposition of components and formation of cracks... enhances the stability of the battery through a great many cycles of charging and discharging"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-magnetic-field-thick-battery-electrodes.html "thin two-dimensional materials building blocks of electrode, stacking them... magnetic field manipulate orientations... magnets... two-dimensional materials in vertical alignment... superior electrochemical performance... high mechanical strength, high electrical conductivity, facilitated lithium-ion transport... horizontally arranged electrode using same materials... recharge the vertical thick electrode to 50% energy level in 30 minutes, compared with 2 hours and 30 minutes with the horizontal electrode"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-magneto-optic-modulator-next-generation-superconductor-based.html "magneto-optic modulator, control properties of light beam through magnetic field... speed up high-performance supercomputers and quantum computers based on superconductor technology," Paolo Pintus, the researcher who led the study, told TechXplore. "Superconductors work properly only at low temperatures, generally just above absolute zero (-273.15° Celsius). Because of this, circuits made of these materials must be kept inside a dedicated refrigerator" Related: Superconducting hardware could scale up brain-inspired computing https://techxplore.com/news/2022-10-superconducting-hardware-scale-brain-inspired.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-durable-semiconductor-photocathodes-metal-foil.html "organic photovoltaic cell... OS photocathode covered with titanium foil and dispersed platinum nanoparticles... onset potential of 1 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode and photocurrent density of -12.3 mA cm-2 at 0 VRHE... record operation stability, retaining 95.4% of the maximum photocurrent for over 30 hours without any noticeable deterioration in the OS. Further, the team tested the module under actual sunlight and was able to produce hydrogen"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-energy-technology-electricity-ocean-cars.html "flexWECs do not concentrate ocean wave energy into a singular energy converter or one power transmission system... avoid accumulating ocean wave forces that could shut off or damage... go with the flow... frames could also enable them to harness energy from a far wider range of ocean locations and wave energy frequencies. "One day, there could be DEEC-Tec-based marine renewable energy farms... powering coastal communities or the utility grid at large" Related:  Tidal stream power can significantly enhance energy security https://techxplore.com/news/2023-02-tidal-stream-power-significantly-energy.html Green Energy Revolution: Brazilian Physicist Invents Smaller and More Efficient Sub-aquatic Turbine https://www.damalion.com/2023/02/12/green-energy-revolution-brazilian-physicist-invents-smaller-and-more-efficient-sub-aquatic-turbine/ Energy company announces world first as its tidal power pr...

https://mercomindia.com/researchers-in-hong-kong-lithium-ion-battery-tech/ "non-toxic Mg 1000x more abundant than lithium... water in salt electrolyte... passivation film converted into conductive metallic oxide layer... ionic pathways for rechargeable battery... 700 cycles... high discharge plateau 2.4-2.0 V... long-term cyclability aqueous Mg battery with metal anode" See also: Breakthrough by HKU Engineering researchers in post lithium-ion batteries  https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/969339 Related: Researchers characterize how passivation layer forms in lithium-ion batteries https://techxplore.com/news/2023-03-characterize-passivation-layer-lithium-ion-batteries.html

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2022/09/molten-carbonate-high-temperature-fuel-cells-getting-to-scale.html "capture CO2 from a power plant’s flue gas while generating additional electricity from natural gas, coal, or other fuels... MCFC and afterburner ranked highest in terms of exergy destruction (93.12 MW and 22.4 MW, respectively). The tri-objective optimization findings also reveal that the most optimal solution point has an exergy efficiency of 59.5%, a total cost rate of 11.7 ($/gigajoule), and CO2 emission of 0.58 ton/MWh" Related: Researchers construct uneven phosphoric acid interfaces for advanced high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells https://phys.org/news/2023-02-uneven-phosphoric-acid-interfaces-advanced.html How a record-breaking copper catalyst converts carbon dioxide into liquid fuels https://phys.org/news/2023-02-record-breaking-copper-catalyst-carbon-dioxide.html Researchers lift curtain on key feature of interfacial electrochemistry https://phys.org/n...

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-electrocatalytic-li-s-batteries.html "iron exposes more active selenium edge sites in MoSe2, which can selectively adsorb more lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) to minimize the shuttle effect. Moreover, the conductive feature of rGO improves the cell's electrical conductivity and promotes the adsorption of polysulfides via chemical bonding with the functional group of rGO. Therefore, using the Fe-MoSe2@rGO nanohybrid as a functional plane offers the advantages of high conductivity and effective LiPS adsorption"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-wood-based-alternative-single-use-plastic.html "breaks down wood fibers... cold sodium hydroxide combined with mild mechanical blending... sodium hydroxide recycled... translucent, strong and water-resistant film... small amounts of energy and chemicals in the manufacture. Like conventional plastic, the film can be made into coffee bags or chip bags, pouches (like pouches for cereal or frozen fruit), or protective wrap like bubble wrap or envelopes" Related: Researchers turn Superglue into a recyclable, cheap, oil-free plastic alternative https://phys.org/news/2023-03-superglue-recyclable-cheap-oil-free-plastic.html New polymer design breaks the tradeoff between toughness and recyclability https://phys.org/news/2024-10-polymer-tradeoff-toughness-recyclability.html

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/loop-energy-says-new-hydrogen-fuel-cell-more-efficient-than-diesel-engine-2022-09-18/ "Hydrogen fuel cells have faced two challenges for broad adoption: they have so far been less efficient than diesel and fuelling infrastructure in Europe is virtually non-existent. Nyland said the new cell system essentially addresses the first of those challenges. This brings the future forward," Loop Energy Chief Executive Ben Nyland told Reuters. "This product delivers the economics that are needed for adoption today" Related: Hong Kong university claims key breakthrough in durable, cost-effective hydrogen fuel cells https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3195049/climate-change-hong-kong-university-claims-key-breakthrough-durable-cost

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-power-consumption-semiconductor-devices.html "increasing switching efficiency... platinum nanoparticles... current skipped through particles... phase transition occurred... memory effect increased million times... after voltage cut off... change to insulator phase... duration short 1 millionth of second... memory effect regarding the previous firing of the devices can be increased to several seconds, and the device could be operated again with relatively low voltage owing to the residual metallic domains remaining near the platinum nanoparticles"

https://innovationorigins.com/en/microaligns-small-improvement-leads-to-less-energy-consumption/ "micropositioning system aligning multiple optical fibers. This system forms the core of MicroAlign technology... improves quality of optical fiber-to-chip connection for multiple optical fibers and with sub-micrometer precision... exchanging information between servers and computers in data centers"

https://news.utdallas.edu/science-technology/nanotech-energy-harvesters-2022/ "pulling sheet of carbon nanotubes... deposited graphene onto sheet... twisted and coiled it... improved capacitance change and electricity... Stretching... 30 times a second (30 hertz) generated 3.19 kilowatts per kilogram of peak electrical power 12X increase over highest values reported by other... energy conversion efficiency 7.2 times previous... harvesting energy from ocean waves... using body movements to power wearable devices... " Related: Graphene loophole could provide clean and limitless energy in the future https://www.iflscience.com/graphene-loophole-could-provide-clean-and-limitless-energy-in-the-future-44894  "movements of the graphene sheet...  atoms moving together... graphene sheet measured 10 microns... 10 microwatts continuously... replace batteries... negatively charged sheet of graphene between two electrodes produce alternating current... any object send, receive, store ...

  https://phys.org/news/2022-09-heat-resistant-nanophotonic-material-electricity.html "destructive interference to reflect infrared energy while letting shorter wavelengths pass through. This could potentially reduce heat waste in thermophotovoltaic cells, which convert heat into electricity but can't use infrared energy, by reflecting infrared waves back into the system. The material could also be useful in optical photovoltaics, thermal imaging, environmental barrier coatings, sensing, camouflage from infrared surveillance devices and other applications" Related: When heat turns into electricity at 1000 °C. https://www.innovations-report.com/power-and-electrical-engineering/when-heat-turns-into-electricity-at-1000-c/ Decoding thermophotovoltaic efficiency https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-decoding-thermophotovoltaic-efficiency.html

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-twisty-photons-turbocharge-next-gen-quantum.html :atom-thick film of tungsten diselenide, an upcoming novel semiconductor material, to create a quantum emitter capable of emitting single photons... coupled quantum emitter internally reflective donut-shaped space ring resonator... spin-momentum-locking functionality gear-shaped patterning of ring resonator...  single microchip 20 microns... capable of interacting with other standardized components as part of a quantum communications system" Related: Researchers design flexible electronics for stretchable OLED display https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-flexible-electronics-stretchable-oled-display.html Super flexible composite semiconductors for next-gen printed displays https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-super-flexible-composite-semiconductors-next-gen.html

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-energy-storage-materials-built-nano-sized.html "microwave irradiation, because it is a rapid and efficient alternative to conventional hydrothermal methods... made in 15 minutes using microwave irradiation, which is much shorter than the 18 hours needed in previous hydrothermal methods... can be dissolved in water and spin coated to deposit thin films of niobium pentoxide. When these films are heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 1200°C, surfaces with varying corrosion resistance and electrochemical properties are obtained" Retalted: Breakthrough thermal energy storage project progressing towards commissioning https://news.cision.com/kyoto-group-as/r/breakthrough-thermal-energy-storage-project-progressing-towards-commissioning,c3653980 Faster thin film devices for energy storage and electronics https://www.mpi-halle.mpg.de/faster-thin-film-devices-for-energy-storage-and-electronics

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-lithium-ion-battery-material-barrier-fast.html " ionic liquid and metal salts into porous... heat to enhance... low-energy strategy enables ionic liquid solvent used as template for MWNO recovered and recycled... higher voltage than graphite and  not prone forming passivation solid electrolyte layer that slows down the lithium-ion movement during charging... nanoporous structure that provides enhanced electrical conductivity. The result offers less resistance to the movement of lithium ions and electrons, enabling fast recharging"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-high-performance-high-reliability-artificial-synaptic-semiconductor.html "artificial neural network learning pattern using artificial synaptic device and attempted artificial intelligence image recognition learning... error rate reduced more than 60%... handwriting image pattern recognition accuracy increased 69%... improved synaptic range motion and information preservation... analog operation area to express the synapse's various connection strengths has been maximized, so the performance of brain simulation-based artificial intelligence computing will be improved"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-silicon-nanopillars-quantum.html "simplest form of light wave-guiding structure: silicon nanopillars on chip... bombarded nanopillars with carbon ions... generated photon sources embedded in pillars... Per square millimeter chip, thousands of silicon nanopillars conduct and bundle the light from the sources by directing it vertically through the pillars... varied diameter pillars... even for thinnest pillars dose carbon bombardment too high... now it's just short step to single photon sources"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-electricity-ocean.html "small nanogenerators that float on surface of ocean linked together using flexible connector. Static electricity generated used as power source... spring-like coils inside... generate static electricity.. 347 watts per cubic meter, which they note is approximately 30 times better than other designs geared to reap electricity from waves. More work will need to be done on their system, however, before it could be put to commercial use. How to keep the coils from wearing away, for example, would need to be resolved" Related: New Generator Rolls Into Ocean Energy https://cleantechnica.com/2023/01/18/new-generator-rolls-into-ocean-energy/ WaveFarm unleashes a wave of energy for a sustainable future https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/news/wavefarm-unleashes-wave-energy-sustainable-future-2024-01-31_en WaveRoller sea-floor generator approaches commercial deployment https://newatlas.com/energy/waveroller-wave-energy/ ...

https://apnews.com/article/technology-california-9972c94bec4342fe9e672759555d95b1 "Native 3-Phase, 4-module microinverter... harness high-capacity PV modules 400W to 600W+... 99.5% MPPT efficiency... Reactive Power Control (RPC) and UL 1741 SA compliance... compliant NEC 690.12 Rapid Shutdown... high input current, up to 20A... More intelligent, streamlined architecture... Future-proof with remote upgradeability... 20% fewer components for increased reliability... better cooling at high temperatures... Encrypted Zigbee wireless for faster communication speed and enhanced system security" Related: New Hybrid MPPT Controller for Enhanced Photovoltaic Systems https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=34868

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-3d-energy-storage-options.html "solid polymer electrolyte... nano-scale ion-conducting channels embedded in rigid crosslinked polymer matrix... polymerization-induced microphase separation... increases cycling stability... stable and charge and discharge over thousands cycles. After 3,000 cycles roughly 10% drop... reduces wastage compared to other traditional forms of manufacturing and reduces costs since the same machine can be used to produce a variety of differently shaped materials"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-carrier-doping-p-type-semiconductors-photovoltaic.html "impurity larger for vacant spaces in crystal lattice to invoke electrostatic repulsion. For alkali impurity  ions fall into interstitial sites and do not deform crystal lattice... potassium, rubidium, and cesium (Cs), as acceptor impurities in γ-CuI... Cs ions bind even more Cu vacancies, leading to greater concentration charge carriers (1013—1019 cm-3) in single crystals and thin-films prepared from solution... fine-tune carrier concentrations under low-temperature processing for specific applications and devices" Related: Thin-film technologies for the energy transition https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-thin-film-technologies-energy-transition.html

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-road-spin-polarized-currents.html "new route towards generation of spin-polarized currents from transition metal dichalcogenides... some select materials such as HfSe2... If you probe this material with linearly-polarized light—which is easier to produce than circularly polarized light—the material acts as a magnet in terms of its spin-structure. So the spin-selectivity becomes very easy, but you do not have the problems associated with other magnetic properties"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-metal-powder-zero-carbon-fuel-future.html "Storing energy in metals and burning them to free the energy whenever needed is a method already applied in aerospace technology. Our aim was to understand what exactly happens at the micro- and nanoscale during the reduction and combustion of iron... process circular without losses in energy or material... energy stored in reduced iron... oxidizing iron back to iron oxide... iron ore reduced to iron and energy stored" Related:   Ultrasmall swirling magnetic vortices detected in iron-containing material https://phys.org/news/2023-03-ultrasmall-swirling-magnetic-vortices-iron-containing.html Can we burn metal for heat, instead of fossil fuels? https://www.freethink.com/energy/burning-iron Welcome to the new Iron Age: iron can generate eternal energy https://scienceillustrated.com/technology/welcome-to-the-new-iron-age-iron-can-generate-eternal-energy

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-solar-powered-lasers-heights-four-mirror.html "laser rods inside four 2V-shaped pump cavities, and pumped them with sunlight using four large off-axis parabolic mirrors with a total collection area of 10 m2... four secondary fused-silica aspheric concentrators, and four rectangular fused-silica light guides... laser power of 155.29 watts in TEM00 mode... two-fold enhancement collection efficiency and 1.24 times conversion efficiency... diode-pumped laser limited diode pump source lifetime... greater system simplicity and nearly free pump source"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-aims-consumption-food-production.html "recycle 90% of the production process water. This means that the brewery reduces its water consumption for beers and soft drinks from 2.7 to 1.4 liters per liter produced. In addition, the recycling plant reduces the brewery's energy consumption by 10% through own biogas production and recirculation of hot water. The treated water is used to clean process equipment, pipes, and packaging at the brewery and is not included in the production of beers and soft drinks" Related: HomeBiogas Launches the Booster Kit In the UK: Turning Waste to Energy In Cold Climate https://www.homebiogas.com/our-story/

https://www.freethink.com/technology/rare-earth-elements#Echobox=1663193397 "easier extract rare earth elements from fly ash, byproduct of coal-fired power plants... mountains of fly ash from burning coal... fly ash contains rare earth elements encased in glass... standard process strong acids... flash Joule heating developed to produce graphene can be used... heats to 5,432° F in second to break glass using mild acid... extract twice as much... no environmentally detrimental mining or foreign sources for rare earth elements" Related: Scientists transform hazardous material into breakthrough building product with major benefits: 'A massive win' https://www.yahoo.com/tech/scientists-transform-hazardous-material-breakthrough-073000469.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-alternative-packaging-plastic-industry-carbon.html "convert sugars... 100% bio-based, recyclable and degradable polymer... superior... compared with PET... better barrier properties for CO2 and oxygen... lengthening shelf life of packaged products... higher strength... thinner packaging requiring fewer resources... 12 °C higher heat resistance than PET... FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid)... polymerized with plant-based mono-ethylene glycol (MEG)... When fully technologically developed, PEF can also be produced from cellulose" Related: A California startup is turning greenhouse gas into a biodegradable plastic alternative that’s being used by Shake Shack, Nike, and H&M https://fortune.com/2023/01/10/newlight-startup-aircarbon-greenhouse-gas-plastic-alternative/ Mushrooms could help replace plastics in new high-performance ultra-light materials https://phys.org/news/2023-02-mushrooms-plastics-high-performance-ultra-light-materials.html U...

  https://phys.org/news/2022-09-chemical-additives-stability-high-density-lithium-ion.html "solvent maintain conductivity wide range temperatures, varying from –60 to 55 degrees Celsius.... Adding lithium perchlorate to electrolyte strengthens different chemicals in electrolyte interact with each other and reduces amount of energy required, making it easier for electrolyte to work at lower temperatures... diluted high concentration sulfolane-based electrolyte with lithium perchlorate additive realizes wide-temperature application in high voltage cells... high energy density lithium batteries"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-pave-large-scale-efficient-solar-cells.html "water pushed on donor and acceptor molecules, causing dissolve into solution... water separate from solution... water removed and water-treated active solution prepare thin films of PTB7-Th: PC61BM (F, fullerene), PTB7-Th: EH-IDTBR (NF, fullerene), and PM6: Y6 (H-NF, high-efficiency non-fullerene)... water-treated active solution led to uniform active layer thin films, higher power conversion efficiencies... large-area OSC modules with active area 10 cm2... conversion efficiency 11.92% water-treated H-NF "

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-thin-film-transistors-metal-oxides-heat-sensitive.html "output signal stronger because remembered previous incoming signals... show memory effect undesirable for transistor... built electronic copy of human hearing along with thin-film transistor—and fed it a popular Mozart tune... transistor's synaptic function preserved from few hertz to nearly 50,000 —a much higher bandwidth than comparable printed transistors... concrete applications are not yet in sight for this fundamental research"

  https://phys.org/news/2022-09-double-transmon-coupler-faster-accurate-superconducting.html "double transmon coupler comprises two fixed-frequency transmon qubits... double-transmon coupler has one loop...  three x's on loop represent two transmon Josephson junctions and additional Josephson junction...  magnetic flux in loop, Φex...tuned by external magnetic field to bring coupling strength between qubits on both sides to exactly zero, switching off coupling... coupling strength increased to several tens of megahertz by increasing magnetic flux... gate operations with  accuracy 99.99%"

https://discovery.kaust.edu.sa/en/article/1274/measured-approach-to-organic-solar-cell-mastery "determined energy levels of 33 organic solar materials using four different techniques... energy levels of organic semiconductors measured using photoelectron and low-energy inverse photoelectron spectroscopy closely correlate to properties of solar cells... blends with little to no difference in one energy level metric, known as the ionization energy, were poor performers... best performing organic solar cells had significant difference in ionization energy between donor and acceptor component" Related: Seeking stability to support sustainable outdoor solar cells https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-stability-sustainable-outdoor-solar-cells.html

https://today.uic.edu/a-breakthrough-discovery-in-carbon-capture-conversion-for-ethylene-production/ "current passed through cell, half filled with captured carbon dioxide, other half with water-based solution... electrified catalyst draws charged hydrogen atoms from water molecules into other half of unit separated by membrane, where they combine with charged carbon atoms from carbon dioxide to form ethylene... ethylene ranks third for carbon emissions after ammonia and cement... plastic products for packaging, agricultural and automotive industries, antifreeze, medical sterilizers and vinyl siding" Relaated: New hybrid catalyst could help decarbonization and make ethylene production more sustainable https://phys.org/news/2023-01-hybrid-catalyst-decarbonization-ethylene-production.html Novel sustainable electrochemical method converts carbon dioxide into carbonaceous materials https://phys.org/news/2023-05-sustainable-electrochemical-method-carbon-dioxide.html Graphyte annou...

https://www-enerjiekonomisi-com.translate.goog/dr-henrik-ljungcrantz-vp-of-materials-science-fuel-cell-systems-at-interplex/22552//?_x_tr_sl=tr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc "Precision manufacturing, exceptional plate flatness, better fuel cell stack structural integrity... prevents leakage... high-speed stamping and coating procedures... physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating of plates... fifth of time... over-molding technology for attaching the silicone rubber gaskets to the BPP is done to elevated degrees of accuracy. It allows assembly problems to be minimized when stacking the BPP with a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Related: Hydrogen fuel cell breakthrough is ‘more efficient than diesel engines’ https://news.yahoo.com/hydrogen-fuel-cell-breakthrough-more-140020772.html New insight about the working principles of bipolar membranes could guide future fuel cell design https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-insight-principles-bipolar-membranes-future.html

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/battery-startup-one-aims-slash-cell-cost-deliver-600-mile-range-2022-09-13/ "slash cell cost as much as 50%... 2 cell chemistries: everyday driving/ longer trips... range-extender cells are anode-free, which eliminates the use of graphite and anode-making equipment... slice cost $50 per kilowatt-hour... significant savings over current costs $100-$110... launch the Gemini battery in 2026 with zero cobalt and 26% nickel or less, cathode using lithium and manganese... manganese as primary cathode material" See also: The battery that runs 630 km on a single charge  https://techxplore.com/news/2022-10-battery-km Related: Researchers develop a cobalt-free cathode for lithium-ion batteries https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-cobalt-free-cathode-lithium-ion-batteries.html POSTECH-UNIST joint research team succeeds in developing anode-free Li batteries with maximized energy density, improving energy density by 40% https://postech....

https://undecidedmf.com/this-invention-could-supercharge-solar-panels/ "require less land to produce same electricity... $0.80 to $1.10 per watt while traditional solar panels cost $0.70 per watt... annual operating and maintenance cost of CPV power... from 20 to 30 €/kW... non-tracking concentrator device... benefit of improved power generation without moving parts...  shaped like upside down pyramid with bottom lopped off... captures sunlight regardless of angle of incidence and concentrates onto small area... reflective sidewalls funnel light... brighter output spot on bottom" Related: PVH Unveils its Latest Innovation, DBOX5, a Revolutionary Breakthrough in Solar Tracking Systems https://solarquarter.com/2023/06/26/pvh-unveils-its-latest-innovation-dbox5-a-revolutionary-breakthrough-in-solar-tracking-systems/ Tracking The Sun Makes Solar Panels More Efficient On Land & On Water https://cleantechnica.com/2023/09/30/tracking-the-sun-makes-solar-panels-more-efficient-on-...

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-precisely-energy-solar-materials-high-performance.html "analyzed energy level alignment in 12 donor–acceptor organic solar cell blends... blends with little to no difference in one energy level metric, onization energy, were poor performers... best performing organic solar cells had a significant difference in ionization energy between donor and acceptor component in blend... what is commonly believed in literature is actually not true... huge potential to reveal new donor–acceptor pair systems work well in organic solar cells and would also highlight which pairs won't work"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-decarbonizing-energy-trillions-dollars.html "fossil-free energy system by around 2050, providing 55% more energy services globally than today by ramping up solar, wind, batteries, electric vehicles, and clean fuels such as green hydrogen... scaling up key green technologies will continue to drive their costs down... costs for key storage technologies, such as batteries and hydrogen electrolysis, are also likely to fall dramatically. Meanwhile, the costs of nuclear have consistently increased over the last five decades"

"NONA separates salt & bacteria from water using electric current... water never passes through membrane... Ion Concentration Polarization (ICP), a novel electro membrane fluid separation method developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. NONA is the first commercial application of this technological breakthrough... price fall below $0.50/m3... With seawater desalination at $0.40/m3, the cost is approaching the indirect potable reuse, with prices in the $0.30-$0.40 range" Related: Investing in new water filtration membranes is worth it https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2022/09/investing-in-new-water-filtration-membranes-is-worth-it/ Wave-powered buoys vastly reduce the ecological cost of desalination https://newatlas.com/good-thinking/oneka-wave-power-desalination/ Recycling of fruit waste into a solar absorber for water desalination https://techxplore.com/news/2023-03-recycling-fruit-solar-absorber-desalination.html High efficiency, salt resistance and high s...

  https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-high-speed-motor-power-density-electric.html "over 100,000 revolutions per minute... peak power density 7kW per kilogram... scale and optimize to provide power and speed in a given range—for example, a 200kW motor with a maximum speed of around 18,000 rpm that perfectly suits EV applications. If an electric vehicle manufacturer, like Tesla, wanted to use this motor then I believe it would only take around six to 12 months to modify it based on their specifications"

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-laser-breakthrough-tech-faster.html "size of a shoebox and is simply inserted into the path of the laser beam... tell us how the laser beam evolves in time and changes its shape and color... crucial to how beam travels through fiber link... pulse spreading in optical link, which slows down data... can then design lasers without rogue features, leading to optical links with higher speed and longer distance of operation... improved laser technology is set to benefit a range of industries, from telecommunications to security and car manufacturing"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-spatiotemporal-femtosecond-pulses-on-chip-devices.html "spatio-temporal modulation effects on femtosecond SPP pulses... in either space or time domain, the proposed method offers potentially a variety of novel effects in SPP modulation especially associated with the temporal domain, thereby improving the degree of freedom of optical modulation and providing a new platform for on-chip spatiotemporal manipulation of optical pulses with applications including ultrafast on-chip photonic information processing, ultrafast pulse/beam shaping, and optical computing"

https://phys.org/news/2022-09-advanced-microscope-techniques-pave-memories.html "magnetic storage... faster and more energy-efficient... manipulating phase transitions...temperature... key to being able to flip information-storing bit... fashion magnetic memories that are compact, scientists manipulate them precisely... local change of temperature... heating up magnetic bit... induce reconfiguration... to encode information... less energy consumption... iron-rhodium has phase transition... need better camera... access the extremely small regions space or quick moments time high precision"

  https://phys.org/news/2022-09-thermal-insulation-composite-hollow-silica.html "thermal insulation composite by mixing cellulose fibers and HSPs in water, then pouring the mixture in molds and removing the water through a freeze-drying technique. We demonstrated that our composite is highly stable to moisture... This addresses the long-standing issue of using HSPs as thermal materials" Related: Helping construction material manufacturers reduce the energy consumption, carbon footprint of heating and cooling homes https://techxplore.com/news/2023-03-material-energy-consumption-carbon-footprint.html New paint gives extra insulation, saving on energy, costs, and carbon emissions https://phys.org/news/2023-08-extra-insulation-energy-carbon-emissions.html

https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2022/research/biomass-availability-risk/ "if switch to BECCS delayed to second half of century, biomass production reduced... failure to achieve 2 °C goal jeopardising global food... delayed from 2040 to 2060... reduced yields of agricultural residue for biomass technologies decrease capacity of BECCS and increase global warming from 1.7 to 3.7 °C by 2200... decline in global average daily crop calories per capita from 2.1 million calories to 1.5 million calories... scale of food trade need to increase 80% from 2019 levels to avoid severe food shortages" Related: Speeding up sugar's conversion into fuel https://phys.org/news/2023-01-sugar-conversion-fuel.html Why this promising biofuel crop takes a summer break https://phys.org/news/2023-01-biofuel-crop-summer.html Rondo Energy Announces World’s Highest Temperature Thermal Energy Storage https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005255/en/Rondo-Energy-Announces-World%E2%80%...