Chemically-Etched Black Silicon Proves Efficient Solar Cells Can Be Cheaper
While SiOnyx, a MA-based startup, uses lasers to create black silicon and improve the efficiency and price of solar cells, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) discovered a simple chemical treatment that could replace the otherwise expensive antireflective solar cell coatings currently used in the industry.
Molecular-Level Superconducting Material Discovered by Ohio Scientists
A sheet less than a nanometer wide and four pairs of molecules now constitutes the world's smallest superconductor and proves that superconducting nanoscale materials can be made, an obvious advance for nano-scaled electronics and energy applications.
The Hybrid Field Motor: Using Half Rare-Earth Magnets, Cheaper, Same Performance for EVs
The hybrid field motor works by generating a magnetic force by synchronizing a permanent magnet and an electromagnet. The main advantage is that hybrid field motors only use half of the amount of rare-earth magnet, compared to a synchronous motor, that you can see in today's hybrid or electric vehicles.
Portable Desalination System Designed by MIT Could Save Lives
Water desalination is very important in areas where earthquakes, tsunamis or other natural catastrophes occurred. Usually, these areas are located near the sea or the ocean, and desalinizing the water could definitely save lives.
Harvesting Energy From Small Vibrations for Use in Pacemakers and Implants
University of Michigan researchers, at their Engineering Research Center for Wireless Integrated Microsystems, have just created highly efficient some energy-harvesting devices that use the energy from surrounding arbitrary, non-periodic vibrations.
New Quaternary Semiconductor Alloy Could Gear Up Development of Solar Cells
Cun-Zeng Ning and Alian Pan, from Arizona State University, have discovered and fabricated the first quaternary semiconductor nanowire materials, by alloying two binary semiconductors (ZnS + CdSe) - Zinc Sulfide and Cadmium Selenide, and obtained ZnCdSSe.
Electronically-Controlled Tintable Glass Inventors Receive Grant from DOE
A Minnesota-based invention company called Sage Electrochromics, Inc has received a financial loan of $103 million from the Department of Energy for it's breakthrough glass innovation, a window that can be switched on or off to reject up to 98% of the sun's heat and light on a push of a button.
Stolen Electrons from Green Alga Demonstrate New Kind of Organic Solar Cells
WonHyoung Ryu at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, working with overseas colleagues from Stanford, found an interesting way of hybridization between a green alga, Chlamydomonas, and gold nanowires, to directly collect the electrons produced through photosynthesis by the plant.
Affresol Homes Built From Recycled Plastic: 12% Cheaper, 60 Years Lifespan
It's a known fact that plastics, although they make up hellish environments if disposed randomly (read: "thrown away"), can be good friends if they are to be recycled and used in long-term construction works. Affresol, a Wales-based company, is about to launch a new range of homes and modular portable buildings, made from recycled plastics.
Self-Propelling Water Cooling System Could Green Computers Up
Less than a year ago, we have been talking about Chunlei Guo, a researcher that, along with his assistant Anatoliy Vorobyev, has demonstrated how by nano-sculpturing metals with a powerful laser, can make liquids flow upwards, defying gravity.
