Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Water splitting reaction for green hydrogen gas production improved      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Electrochemical catalysts used in water splitting often show poor performance due to low electrical conductance of (oxy)hydroxide species produced in situ. To overcome this challenge, researchers have now designed an electrode with Schottky Junction formed at the interface of metallic Ni-W5N4 and semiconducting NiFeOOH. The proposed electrode shows excellent catalytic activity and can facilitate industrial seawater splitting continuously for 10 days.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Graphene Physics: General Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Riddle of Kondo effect solved in ultimately thin wires      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has now directly measured the so-called Kondo effect, which governs the behavior of magnetic atoms surrounded by a sea of electrons: New observations with a scanning tunneling microscope reveal the effect in one-dimensional wires floating on graphene. 

Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Printed robots with bones, ligaments, and tendons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. The new technology makes it possible to 3D print special plastics with elastic qualities in one go. This opens up completely new possibilities for the production of soft robotic structures.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: Optics
Published

New laser setup probes metamaterial structures with ultrafast pulses      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new technique offers a safe, reliable, and high-throughput way to dynamically characterize microscale metamaterials. The method could speed up the development of acoustic lenses, impact-resistant films, and other futuristic materials.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

Using cosmetic ingredient for battery protection      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has devised a battery electrode protective film using biopolymers sourced from cosmetic ingredients.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Converting PFAS 'forever chemicals' into valuable compounds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have successfully synthesized ligands called fluorinated N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) from environmentally harmful perfluoroalkenes, a type of synthetic chemicals also referred to as PFAS. These NHCs are valuable for stabilizing unstable molecules and enhancing catalytic efficiency. Through further structural modification, these NHCs are expected to find applications in a wide range of substances, including catalysts and light-emitting materials.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New water treatment method can generate green energy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have designed micromotors that move around on their own to purify wastewater. The process creates ammonia, which can serve as a green energy source. Now, an AI method will be used to tune the motors to achieve the best possible results.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

When we feel things that are not there      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The discovery of the phantom touch illusion provides insights into human perception and opens up new perspectives for interaction with virtual reality technology.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Capture or reuse CO2 as a chemical source for the production of sustainable plastics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists have developed a new polyurethane production technique using CO2 to create new types of easily recyclable plastics that uses more sustainable materials to produce plastics with properties similar to conventional petro-sourced plastics. This new technology is emerging as a potential solution for the development of sustainable plastics with a wide range of properties that can easily meet the needs of most of our everyday applications.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

Recycling of water-based adhesive achieved by changing pH      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has developed a reversible, water-based glue that has good adhesion in the neutral pH range, but can be detached again in strongly acidic or alkaline environments. The novel adhesive system, which is based on electrostatic interactions, has bond strengths somewhere between those of structural adhesives and pressure-sensitive adhesives. The new adhesive also bonds 'difficult' surfaces such as water-repellent polypropylene.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

quantum mechanics: Unlocking the secrets of spin with high-harmonic probes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Deep within every piece of magnetic material, electrons dance to the invisible tune of quantum mechanics. Their spins, akin to tiny atomic tops, dictate the magnetic behavior of the material they inhabit. This microscopic ballet is the cornerstone of magnetic phenomena, and it's these spins that a team of researchers has learned to control with remarkable precision, potentially redefining the future of electronics and data storage.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Scientists found hundreds of toxic chemicals in recycled plastics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When scientists examined pellets from recycled plastic collected in 13 countries they found hundreds of toxic chemicals, including pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Because of this, the scientists judge recycled plastics unfit for most purposes and a hinder in the attempts to create a circular economy.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

New cooling ceramic can enhance energy efficiency for the construction sector and help combat global warming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in developing a passive radiative cooling (PRC) material. The material, known as cooling ceramic, has achieved high-performance optical properties for energy-free and refrigerant-free cooling generation. Its cost-effectiveness, durability and versatility make it highly suitable for commercialization in numerous applications, particularly in building construction. 

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

How to use AI for discovery -- without leading science astray      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In the same way that chatbots sometimes 'hallucinate,' or make things up, machine learning models designed for scientific applications can sometimes present misleading or downright false results. Researchers now present a new statistical technique for safely using AI predictions to test scientific hypotheses.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Atomic dance gives rise to a magnet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers turned a paramagnetic material into a magnet by manipulating electrons' spin via atomic motion.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

New AI noise-canceling headphone technology lets wearers pick which sounds they hear      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed deep-learning algorithms that let users pick which sounds filter through their headphones in real time. Either through voice commands or a smartphone app, headphone wearers can select which sounds they want to include from 20 classes, such as sirens, baby cries, speech, vacuum cleaners and bird chirps.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Chemists image basic blocks of synthetic polymers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new method to image polymerization catalysis reactions one monomer at a time. 

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Environmental: General
Published

Advances in lithium-metal batteries, paving the way for safer, more powerful devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The boom in phones, laptops and other personal devices over the last few decades has been made possible by the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, but as climate change demands more powerful batteries for electric vehicles and grid-scale renewable storage, lithium-ion technology might not be enough. Lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) have theoretical capacities an order of magnitude greater than lithium-ion, but a more literal boom has stymied research for decades.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

How human faces can teach androids to smile      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team used 125 physical markers to understand the detailed mechanics of 44 different human facial motions. The aim was to better understand how to convey emotions with artificial faces. Beyond helping with the design of robots and androids, this research can also benefit computer graphics, facial recognition, and medical diagnoses.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Liquid metals shake up century-old chemical engineering processes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Liquid metals could be the long-awaited solution to 'greening' the chemical industry, according to researchers who tested a new technique they hope can replace energy-intensive chemical engineering processes harking back to the early 20th century.