Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Researchers develop more environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for soil remediation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists have developed a rapid electrothermal mineralization (REM) process, which in seconds can remediate the accumulation of synthetic chemicals that can contaminate soil and the environment.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Physics: General
Published

3D-printed microstructure forest facilitates solar steam generator desalination      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Aluminum scandium nitride films: Enabling next-gen ferroelectric memory devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Aluminum scandium nitride thin films could pave the way for the next generation of ferroelectric memory devices, according to a new study. Compared to existing ferroelectric materials, these films maintain their ferroelectric properties and crystal structure even after heat treatment at temperatures up to 600 C in both hydrogen and argon atmospheres. This high stability makes them ideal for high-temperature manufacturing processes under the H2-included atmosphere used in fabricating advanced memory devices.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Physics: Optics
Published

3D printing of light-activated hydrogel actuators      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of researchers has embedded gold nanorods in hydrogels that can be processed through 3D printing to create structures that contract when exposed to light -- and expand again when the light is removed. Because this expansion and contraction can be performed repeatedly, the 3D-printed structures can serve as remotely controlled actuators.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Virtual reality training for physicians aims to heal disparities in Black maternal health care      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A virtual reality training series being developed for medical students and physicians teaches them about implicit bias in their communications with their patients who are people of color and how that affects race-based health care disparities.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: Optics
Published

New technique pinpoints nanoscale 'hot spots' in electronics to improve their longevity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers engineered a new technique to identify at the nanoscale level what components are overheating in electronics and causing their performance to fail.

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

Capturing carbon with energy-efficient sodium carbonate-nanocarbon hybrid material      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Carbon capture is a promising approach for mitigating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Different materials have been used to capture CO2 from industrial exhaust gases. Scientists developed hybrid CO2 capture materials containing sodium carbonate and nanocarbon prepared at different temperatures, tested their performance, and identified the optimal calcination temperature condition. They found that the hybrid material exhibits and maintains high CO2 capture capacity for multiple regeneration cycles at a lower temperature, making it cost- and energy-effective.

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

Hydrogen flight looks ready for take-off with new advances      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The possibility of hydrogen-powered flight means greater opportunities for fossil-free travel, and the technological advances to make this happen are moving fast. New studies show that almost all air travel within a 750-mile radius (1200 km) could be made with hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2045, and with a novel heat exchanger currently in development, this range could be even further.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Energy: Technology
Published

Key electronic device developed for the massive arrival of 6G networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers were involved in the development of a switch, an essential device in telecommunications, capable of operating at very high frequency with lower power consumption than conventional technologies. The technology has applications in the new 6G mass communication systems and is more sustainable in terms of energy consumption than current devices.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

A 2D device for quantum cooling      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have created a device that can efficiently convert heat into electrical voltage at temperatures lower than that of outer space. The innovation could help overcome a significant obstacle to the advancement of quantum computing technologies, which require extremely low temperatures to function optimally.

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

Cool roofs are best at beating cities' heat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Painting roofs white or covering them with a reflective coating would be more effective at cooling cities like London than vegetation-covered 'green roofs,' street-level vegetation or solar panels, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

New and improved camera inspired by the human eye      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Computer scientists have invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, their innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision over time.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Scientists probe chilling behavior of promising solid-state cooling material      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has bridged a knowledge gap in atomic-scale heat motion. This new understanding holds promise for enhancing materials to advance an emerging technology called solid-state cooling.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Soft, stretchy electrode simulates touch sensations using electrical signals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers has developed a soft, stretchy electronic device capable of simulating the feeling of pressure or vibration when worn on the skin. This device represents a step towards creating haptic technologies that can reproduce a more varied and realistic range of touch sensations for applications such as virtual reality, medical prosthetics and wearable technology.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather Physics: Optics
Published

Common plastics could passively cool and heat buildings with the seasons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

By restricting radiant heat flows between buildings and their environment to specific wavelengths, coatings engineered from common materials can achieve energy savings and thermal comfort that goes beyond what traditional building envelopes can achieve.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Characterization of the extraordinary thermoelectric properties of cadmium arsenide thin films      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If there's one thing we humans are good at, it's producing heat. Significant amounts, and in many cases most of the energy we generate and put into our systems we lose as heat, whether it be our appliances, our transportation, our factories, even our electrical grid.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General
Published

Small, adsorbent 'fins' collect humidity rather than swim through water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Clean, safe water is a limited resource and access to it depends on local bodies of water. But even dry regions have some water vapor in the air. To harvest small amounts of humidity, researchers developed a compact device with absorbent-coated fins that first trap moisture and then generate potable water when heated. They say the prototype could help meet growing demands for water, especially in arid locations.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Prying open the AI black box      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Meet SQUID, a new computational tool. Compared with other genomic AI models, SQUID is more consistent, reduces background noise, and can yield better predictions regarding critical mutations. The new system aims to bring scientists closer to their findings' true medical implications.