Tag: Energy

3D-Printed Plastics With High Performance Electrical Circuits

sarah JonasResearch Results

Rutgers engineers have embedded high performance electrical circuits inside 3D-printed plastics, which could lead to smaller and versatile drones and better-performing small satellites, biomedical implants and smart structures. They used pulses of high-energy light to fuse tiny silver wires, resulting in circuits that conduct 10 times more electricity than the state of the art, according to a study in the journal Additive Manufacturing. By increasing conductivity 10-fold, the engineers can reduce energy use, extend the life of devices and increase their performance.

White Beetles Inspire Understanding to Improve Energy Conservation

sarah JonasResearch Results

Nature has inspired innovative research throughout human history, and three scientists recently studied white beetles to understand the physics of light scattering. At the AVS 66th International Symposium and Exhibition, researchers will talk about their study of these scales to better understand thin “super-white” coatings that can reject solar spectrum and radiate through transparent windows. By studying light scattering at such a small scale, they were able to calculate light scattering in the biological structures faster and more accurately.

UCI scientists reveal mechanism of electron charge exchange in molecules

sarah JonasResearch Results

Irvine, Calif., Oct. 14, 2019 – Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a new scanning transmission electron microscopy method that enables visualization of the electric charge density of materials at sub-angstrom resolution. With this technique, the UCI scientists were able to observe electron distribution between atoms and molecules and uncover clues to the origins of ferroelectricity, the capacity of certain crystals to possess spontaneous electric polarization that can be switched by the application of an electric field.

Using High Energy Density Material in Electrode Design Enhances Lithium Sulfur Batteries

sarah JonasResearch Results

To develop higher capacity batteries, researchers have looked to lithium sulfur batteries because of sulfur’s high theoretical capacity and energy density. But there are still several problems to solve before they can be put into practical applications. The biggest is the shuttling effect that occurs during cycling. To solve this problem and improve lithium sulfur battery performance, the researchers created a sandwich-structured electrode using a novel material that traps polysulfides and increases the reaction kinetics.

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Flame Experiments on International Space Station

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 19, 2019) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Engineering Professor Stephen D. Tse can comment on flame experiments this month on the International Space Station. The NASA project on symmetrical flames, called s-Flame, is aimed at studying combustion,…

With #HurricaneDorian’s approach comes the threat of power loss, which can disrupt transportation and put lives at risk. @JohnsHopkins engineer Umesh Korde suggests that harnessing energy from ocean waves can help restore power more quickly.

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

As Hurricane Dorian threatens to strike Florida, officials are beginning to prepare for its potential impact on electricity, building infrastructure, transportation and more.  Umesh Korde, a research professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at The Johns Hopkins…

Knowledgebase is power for nuclear reactor developers

sarah JonasFeature Expert

Six new nuclear reactor technologies are planned to commercially deploy between 2030 and 2040. ORNL’s Weiju Ren heads a project managing structural materials information. This conversation explores challenges and opportunities in sharing nuclear materials knowledge internationally.

$1.75 million X-ray tool is first of its kind in the U.S.

sarah JonasFeature

Binghamton University, State University of New York will acquire a sophisticated new X-ray tool useful in materials research and R&D for electronics. The $1.75 million system — the third of its kind in the world and the first outside of Europe — will be funded by $1.23 million from the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation program and additional money from the campus.

Scientists Discover Key Factors in How Some Algae Absorb Solar Energy

sarah JonasResearch Results

Scientists have discovered how diatoms – a type of algae that produces 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen – absorb solar energy for photosynthesis. The Rutgers University-led discovery, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help lead to more efficient and affordable algae-based biofuels and combat climate change from fossil fuel burning.

Physicists Make Graphene Discovery that Could Help Develop Superconductors

sarah JonasResearch Results

When two mesh screens are overlaid, beautiful patterns appear when one screen is offset. These “moiré patterns” have long intrigued artists, scientists and mathematicians and have found applications in printing, fashion and banknotes. Now, a Rutgers-led team has paved the way to solving one of the most enduring mysteries in materials physics by discovering a moiré pattern in graphene, where electrons organize themselves into stripes, like soldiers in formation.

A new way to unprint paper using intense pulsed light from a xenon lamp.

New Unprinting Method Can Help Recycle Paper and Curb Environmental Costs

sarah JonasResearch Results

Rutgers-led study shows the benefits of removing toner with pulses of intense xenon light Imagine if your printer had an “unprint” button that used pulses of light to remove toner, curbing environmental impacts compared with conventional paper recycling. A Rutgers-led…

Which Climates Are Best for Passive Cooling Technologies?

sarah JonasResearch Results

If you guessed locations with drier atmospheres and frequent clear skies, you’re right. WASHINGTON, D.C., June 25, 2019 — A group of University of California­, San Diego researchers set out to gain a better understanding of the thermal balance of…