Materials Science news
Entropy alone creates complex crystals from simple shapes, study shows
23 hours ago |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- In a study that elevates the role of entropy in creating order, research led by the University of Michigan shows that certain pyramid shapes can spontaneously organize into complex quasicrystals.
Innovation puts next-generation solar cells on the horizon
Dec 01, 2009 |
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In a world first, a Monash University-led international research team has developed an innovative way to boost the output of the next generation of solar cells.
A light touch: Iron complexes as efficient catalysts for the light-driven extraction of hydrogen from water
Dec 02, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Hydrogen is a promising alternative energy carrier that can be efficiently converted into electrical energy in fuel cells. One hurdle to the introduction of sustainable hydrogen technology is the fact that ...
New hydrogen-storage method discovered
Nov 22, 2009 |
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Scientists at the Carnegie Institution have found for the first time that high pressure can be used to make a unique hydrogen-storage material. The discovery paves the way for an entirely new way to approach ...
Microscopy reveals structure of calcite shells
Nov 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Lara Estroff and colleagues have taken a deep, detailed look at the way lab-created calcite crystals, similar to those found in nature, grow in tandem with proteins and other large molecules.
Porphyrin Dimers Increase Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Oct 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Porphyrins are most commonly thought of as the pigment in red blood cells, but now scientists have found that porphyrins can also be used to increase the efficiency of an inexpensive type ...
Scientists Make Ink Disappear, Make Paper Reusable
Oct 27, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Despite ongoing efforts to save the trees, many offices print high volumes of paper documents on a daily basis. Although many companies encourage paper recycling, both disposing of and recycling ...
Chemists get custom-designed microscopic particles to self-assemble in liquid crystal
Nov 25, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The scientists anticipate their "LithoParticles" will have significant applications in photonics, optical communications and other areas.
One word: bioplastics
Nov 17, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Every year, more than 250 billion pounds of plastic are produced worldwide. Much of it ends up in the world's oceans, a fact that troubles MIT biology professor Anthony Sinskey.
New research provides blueprint for molecular basis of global warming
Nov 17, 2009 |
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A new study indicates that major chemicals most often cited as leading causes of climate change, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are outclassed in their warming potential by compounds receiving less attention.
Tiny bubbles clean oil from water
Nov 16, 2009 |
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Small amounts of oil leave a fluorescent sheen on polluted water. Oil sheen is hard to remove, even when the water is aerated with ozone or filtered through sand. Now, a University of Utah engineer has developed ...
Researchers make key step towards turning methane gas into liquid fuel
Oct 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Washington and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have taken an important step in converting methane gas to a liquid, potentially making it more useful as a fuel ...
Chemists discover recipe to design a better type of fuel cell
Oct 18, 2009 |
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Fuel cells are often touted as one method to help decrease society's addiction to fossil fuels. But there is still a lot of work to be done before fuel cells will be ready for mass market to be used in transportation, home ...
Hydrogen Storage Gets New Hope from Rechargeable 'Chemical Fuel Tank'
Sep 01, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new method for "recycling" hydrogen-containing fuel materials could open the door to economically viable hydrogen-based vehicles.
Toward home-brewed electricity with 'personalized solar energy'
Nov 04, 2009 |
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New scientific discoveries are moving society toward the era of "personalized solar energy," in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their ...
