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Categories: Energy: Alternative Fuels, Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published Researchers explore the interplay between high-affinity DNA and carbon nanotubes



Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) hold promise for biomedicine and nanoelectronics, yet the functionalization with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) remains a challenge. Researchers using high-affinity ssDNA sequences identified through high-throughput selection. They demonstrated the effectivity and stability of these constructs using molecular dynamics simulations. Machine-learning models were used to accurately predict patterns that govern ssDNA-SWCNT binding affinity. These findings provide valuable insights into the interactions between ssDNA and SWCNTs.
Published A recipe for zero-emissions fuel: Soda cans, seawater, and caffeine



Engineers discovered that when the aluminum in soda cans is purified and mixed with seawater, the solution produces hydrogen -- which can power an engine or fuel cell without generating carbon emissions. The reaction can be sped up by adding caffeine.
Published Better way to produce green hydrogen



Researchers have developed a material that shows a remarkable ability to convert sunlight and water into clean energy.
Published Nanoscale device simultaneously steers and shifts frequency of optical light, pointing the way to future wireless communication channels



A tunable metasurface can control optical light in space and time, offering a path toward new ways of wirelessly and securely transmitting large amounts of data both on Earth and in space.
Published A single-molecule-based organic porous material with great potential for efficient ammonia storage



Novel porous crystalline solid shows promise as an efficient and durable material for ammonia (NH3) capture and storage, report scientists. Made through a simple reprecipitation process, the proposed organic compound can reversibly adsorb and release NH3 via simple pressurization and decompression at room temperature. Its stability and cost-effectiveness make this material a promising energy carrier for future hydrogen economies.
Published Manufacturing perovskite solar panels with a long-term vision



Researchers working at the forefront of an emerging photovoltaic (PV) technology are thinking ahead about how to scale, deploy, and design future solar panels to be easily recyclable. Solar panels made of perovskites may eventually play an important role amid global decarbonization efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As the technology emerges from the testing stages, it is a perfect time to think critically about how best to design the solar panels to minimize their impact on the environment decades from now.
Published 3D-printed microstructure forest facilitates solar steam generator desalination



Faced with the world's impending freshwater scarcity, researchers turned to solar steam generators, which are emerging as a promising device for seawater desalination. The team sought design inspiration from trees and harnessed the potential of 3D printing. They present technology for producing efficient SSGs for desalination and introduces a novel method for printing functional nanocomposites for multi-jet fusion. Their SSGs were inspired by plant transpiration and are composed of miniature tree-shaped microstructures, forming an efficient, heat-distributing forest.
Published Researchers develop new method for achieving controllable tuning and assessing instability in 2D materials for engineering applications



Two-dimensional (2D) materials have atomic-level thickness and excellent mechanical and physical properties, with broad application prospects in fields such as semiconductors, flexible devices, and composite materials.
Published Maximizing hydrogen peroxide formation during water electrolysis



When water is split electrolytically, the result is typically hydrogen -- and 'useless' oxygen. Instead of oxygen, you can also produce hydrogen peroxide, which is required for many branches of industry. This, however, requires certain reaction conditions.
Published Cracking the code of hydrogen embrittlement



When deciding what material to use for infrastructure projects, metals are often selected for their durability. However, if placed in a hydrogen-rich environment, like water, metals can become brittle and fail. Since the mid-19th century, this phenomenon, known as hydrogen embrittlement, has puzzled researchers with its unpredictable nature. Now, a study brings us a step closer to predicting it with confidence.
Published Shining light on amyloid architecture



Researchers use microscopy to chart amyloid beta's underlying structure and yield insight into neurodegenerative disease.
Published 'Secret' hidden structure paves new way of making more efficient and stable perovskite solar cells



Researchers has revealed the existence of surface concavities on individual crystal grains -- which are the fundamental blocks -- of perovskite thin films, and have unraveled their significant effects on the film properties and reliability. Based on this discovery, the team pioneered a new way of making perovskite solar cells more efficient and stable via a chemo-elimination of these grain surface concavities.
Published Solar farms with stormwater controls mitigate runoff, erosion, study finds



As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated -- if these 'solar farms' are properly built.
Published New technique pinpoints nanoscale 'hot spots' in electronics to improve their longevity



Researchers engineered a new technique to identify at the nanoscale level what components are overheating in electronics and causing their performance to fail.
Published Aussie innovation spearheads cheaper seafloor test for offshore wind farms



Australian engineers have unveiled a clever new device -- based on a modified speargun -- as a cheap and efficient way to test seabed soil when designing offshore wind farms.
Published Enzyme-powered 'snot bots' help deliver drugs in sticky situations



Snot might not be the first place you'd expect nanobots to be swimming around. But this slimy secretion exists in more places than just your nose and piles of dirty tissues -- it also lines and helps protect the lungs, stomach, intestines and eyes. And now, researchers have demonstrated in mice that their tiny, enzyme-powered 'snot bots' can push through the defensive, sticky layer and potentially deliver drugs more efficiently.
Published Metamaterials for the data highway



Researchers have been the first to demonstrate that not just individual bits, but entire bit sequences can be stored in cylindrical domains: tiny, cylindrical areas measuring just around 100 nanometers. As the team reports, these findings could pave the way for novel types of data storage and sensors, including even magnetic variants of neural networks.
Published Biodegradable electronics may advance with ability to control dissolve rate



Biodegradable electronics allow for medical devices -- such as drug delivery systems, pacemakers or neural implants -- to safely degrade into materials that are absorbed by the body after they are no longer needed. But if the water-soluble devices degrade too quickly, they cannot accomplish their purpose. Now, researchers have developed the ability to control the dissolve rate of these biodegradable electronics by experimenting with dissolvable elements, like inorganic fillers and polymers, that encapsulate the device.
Published Producing hydrogen and fertilizer at the same time



This new concept could allow the needs of previously separate industries to be combined: the production of hydrogen and the production of fertilizer.
Published Microbeads with adaptable fluorescent colors from visible light to near-infrared



Researchers have successfully developed an environmentally friendly, microspherical fluorescent material primarily made from citric acid. These microbeads emit various colors of light depending on the illuminating light and the size of the beads, which suggests a wide range of applications. Furthermore, the use of plant-derived materials allows for low-cost and energy-efficient synthesis.