Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Physics: General
Published

Harvesting more solar energy with supercrystals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hydrogen is a building block for the energy transition. To obtain it with the help of solar energy, researchers have developed new high-performance nanostructures. The material holds a world record for green hydrogen production with sunlight.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General
Published

Smart microgrids can restore power more efficiently and reliably in an outage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new AI model that optimizes the use of renewables and other energy sources outperforms traditional power restoration techniques for islanded microgrids, a new paper shows. 

Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Network of robots can successfully monitor pipes using acoustic wave sensors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An inspection design method and procedure by which mobile robots can inspect large pipe structures has been demonstrated with the successful inspection of multiple defects on a three-meter long steel pipe using guided acoustic wave sensors.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Environmental: Water
Published

Promising salt for heat storage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Salt batteries can store summer heat to be used in winter, but which salt works best for the purpose?

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Physics: Optics
Published

AI for perovskite solar cells: Key to better manufacturing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tandem solar cells based on perovskite semiconductors convert sunlight to electricity more efficiently than conventional silicon solar cells. In order to make this technology ready for the market, further improvements with regard to stability and manufacturing processes are required. Researchers have succeeded in finding a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and consequently that of the resulting solar cells: Assisted by Machine Learning and new methods in Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is possible assess their quality from variations in light emission already in the manufacturing process.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

New percussion method to detect pipeline elbow erosion      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An engineering research team is pioneering a new method, based on percussion, to detect pipeline elbow erosion to prevent economic losses, environmental pollution and other safety issues.  

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

Novel measurement technique for fluid mixing phenomena using selective color imaging method      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A novel measurement technique has been developed to visualize the fluid flow and distribution within two droplets levitated and coalesced in space using fluorescence-emitting particles. This technique enabled the estimation of fluid motion within each droplet, thereby revealing the internal flow caused by surface vibration when the droplet merging promotes fluid mixing.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Hydrogen fuel can be a competitive alternative to gasoline and diesel today      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Energy researchers posit hydrogen fuel can potentially be a cost-competitive and environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline and diesel, and that supplying hydrogen for transportation in the greater Houston area can be profitable today.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

No one-size-fits-all solution for the net-zero grid      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As power generation from sources like solar and wind increases, along with the introduction of devices such as heat pumps and batteries, a new optimization tool will help the UK plan for a greener electricity network.   The researchers developed an algorithm to model how these smaller networks distributed electricity -- factoring in how local grids could become unbalanced by adding too many heat pumps in a single area or generating more electricity than the grid could accept.  

Computer Science: General Energy: Nuclear Energy: Technology Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Nuclear expansion failure shows simulations require change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers looked back at a model that predicted nuclear power would expand dramatically in order to assess the efficacy of energy policies implemented today.

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: 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: Biochemistry Energy: Technology Environmental: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Putting sound waves to work to create safer public spaces      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Absorbing excess sound to make public environments like theaters and concert halls safer for hearing and using the unwanted sound waves to create electricity is the aim of a new paper. The authors built a system of piezoelectric sensors that can be installed in walls, floors, and ceilings to absorb sound waves and collect their energy. They used computer simulations to fine-tune variables including the voltage needed to power the main device component, the frequency and intensity of the input sound, and piezoelectric sensors tested in parallel and serial configurations.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Ammonia fuel offers great benefits but demands careful action      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified the potential environmental risks of using ammonia as a zero-carbon fuel in order to develop an engineering roadmap to a sustainable ammonia economy.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Solar-powered device produces clean water and clean fuel at the same time      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A floating, solar-powered device that can turn contaminated water or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and purified water, anywhere in the world, has been developed by researchers.

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.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Optics
Published

'Indoor solar' to power the Internet of Things      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

From Wi-Fi-connected home security systems to smart toilets, the so-called Internet of Things brings personalization and convenience to devices that help run homes. But with that comes tangled electrical cords or batteries that need to be replaced. Now, researchers have brought solar panel technology indoors to power smart devices. They show which photovoltaic (PV) systems work best under cool white LEDs, a common type of indoor lighting.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries
Published

Photo battery achieves competitive voltage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a monolithically integrated photo battery using organic materials. The photo battery achieves an unprecedented high discharge potential of 3.6 volts. The system is capable of powering miniature devices.