Engineering

Researchers at Penn State have created a new device that mimics the neural network and red, green, and blue photoreceptors found in human eyes to produce images, drawing inspiration from nature. "We acquired a plan from nature — our retinas contain cone cells that are delicate to red, green and blue light and a brain network that starts handling how the situation is playing out even before the data is sent to our mind," said Kai Wang, partner research teacher in the Division of Materials Science and Designing at Penn State. " This regular cycle makes the vivid world we

The energy density of lithium-ion batteries is increased by an ultrathin braided wire in the core of an electrode, according to a team of researchers in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. This kind of battery could be used to power smartphones and other electronic devices while we wear them by being incorporated into functional textiles. The new twisted current gatherer structure replaces a solitary nonstop wire and further develops particle transport inside the cathode, expanding charge thickness. Smartphones and electric automobiles all use lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). They are what we know to be made of a stack of electrodes

For decades, researchers have been baffled by the mechanics of the collapse of the structure of soft materials. In another review, specialists reveal a metric that at last relates tiny-level cycles with what is seen at the plainly visible level. According to the researchers, the new metric has the potential to aid in the formulation of superior 3D printing inks, the construction of wearable flexible electronics and sensors, the precise printing of biomedical implants, the management of landslides and avalanches, and even the enhancement of the textures of processed foods and personal care products. Understanding how soft materials resist or

Researchers at the Forschungszentrum Jülich have created a novel transistor made of a germanium-tin alloy that outperforms conventional switching elements in a number of ways. Charge transporters can move quicker in the material than in silicon or germanium, which empowers lower voltages in activity. As a result, the transistor appears to be a promising option for developing low-power, high-performance chips in the future, as well as quantum computers. Moore's Law, which is still in effect today, states that the number of transistors on a chip has roughly doubled every two years for the past 70 years. The circuits have gotten

Two-dimensional (2D) or planar versions of metamaterials, known as metasurfaces, display characteristics that are uncommon in natural materials. These materials, which can typically be produced using well-known fabrication techniques because they are flat, may aid in regulating the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a variety of devices. The majority of metasurfaces adhere to the principles set forth by the so-called Lorentz reciprocity theorem, which in essence means that they display properties that are symmetrically aligned with the direction of electromagnetic wave propagation. A new class of metasurfaces that defies the Lorentz reciprocity theorem is known as non-reciprocal metasurfaces. Non-reciprocal metasurfaces

The ability of many birds' feathers to shed water is remarkably effective; as a result, the phrase "like water off a duck's back" is frequently used. Much more peculiar are the belly feathers of the sandgrouse, especially the Namaqua sandgrouse, which absorb and retain water so effectively that the male birds can fly more than 20 kilometers from a distant watering hole back to the nest and still retain enough water in their feathers for the chicks to drink and sustain themselves in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa's scorching deserts. Although scientists had a general idea of how those feathers

Water can be accessed in creative ways, including by being created out of thin air by chemists and engineers. Recently, researchers from the University of Chicago discovered a method to extract even more water. 2021 marks Prof. A multi-institutional team that was creating a new method to draw water out of the air included Laura Gagliardi from the Chemistry Department and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. A metal-organic framework, a specially created substance with a hybrid structure made of metal ions and organic linkers that can be adjusted at the molecular level, was the main technological advancement. MOFs have

According to the University of Surrey researchers, hydrogen fuel may be a more practical substitute for conventional fossil fuels. They discovered that a particular class of metal-free catalysts may aid in the development of affordable and sustainable hydrogen generation systems. The study has demonstrated promising results for the direct conversion of methane, which is also a potent greenhouse gas, into hydrogen using edge-decorated nano carbons as metal-free catalysts. Nitrogen-doped nanocarbons had the best level of performance for hydrogen production at high temperatures among the nanocarbons that were studied. Importantly, the team discovered that the phosphorus- and nitrogen-doped nanocarbons had great

It is anticipated that two-dimensional materials will revolutionize the semiconductor industry. However, despite the fact that a number of studies have reported prototype devices with promising properties for sensing and driving electrical current, their technology readiness level is still very low due to the fact that most of them use synthesis and processing techniques that are incompatible with industry, produce large devices on substrates that are not functional, and present poor yield and variability. Dr. Mario Lanza, associate professor of materials science and engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), leads a group of researchers who have

A novel substance called “StarCrete,” developed by scientists in Manchester, is formed from extraterrestrial dust, potato starch, and a dash of salt and might be used to construct houses on Mars. At the moment, it is both prohibitively expensive and challenging to build infrastructure in space. Future space architecture would need to rely on straightforward materials that astronauts can easily access, and StarCrete provides one potential option. The material, which is twice as strong as regular concrete and is ideal for use in construction projects in extraterrestrial environments, was developed by scientists using potato starch, salt, and replicated Martian soil.