A team of researchers from UCLA has unveiled a first-of-its-kind stable and fully solid-state thermal transistor that uses an electric field to control a semiconductor device’s heat movement. The group’s study, published in Science, details how the device works and its potential applications. With top speed and performance, the transistor could open new frontiers in […]
Metals Tech
Preventing catastrophic failure in lithium ion batteries
In a recent study published in Advanced Energy Materials, a team of ANSTO scientists, led by Prof. Vanessa Peterson, used neutron scattering techniques to understand the formation of harmful lithium structures in rechargeable lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Despite being found in most portable electronics and electric vehicles, the energy capacity of LIBs falls short of that […]
The search for a better EV battery
Battery makers are tweaking — or altogether revamping — the chemistry and mechanics of batteries in an attempt to get a new generation of devices from the lab to the market. Why it matters: The adoption of electric vehicles, the promise of renewable energy and the bottom line of dozens of companies may hinge on new, solid-state batteries […]
Scientists Prove Space Solar Farms Work, Can Bring Clean Energy Back To Earth
Scientists have been working tirelessly to find new ways to get clean energy. Their relentless pursuit has finally paid off with a groundbreaking development: the deployment of solar panels in space. This innovative approach promises to revolutionise our access to sustainable power, presenting a potential game-changer for our planet’s energy needs. According to new research […]
Engineers develop an efficient process to make fuel from carbon dioxide
The search is on worldwide to find ways to extract carbon dioxide from the air or from power plant exhaust and then make it into something useful. One of the more promising ideas is to make it into a stable fuel that can replace fossil fuels in some applications. But most such conversion processes have […]
Honda Joins Race For High Tech 3D-Printed Metal Car Parts
The auto industry’s thirst for 3D-printed car parts is heating up, and the latest development is a doozy. The US startup Seurat Technologies has just closed a $99 million Series C funding round for its new 3D-printed metal technology with new investor Honda on board. Returning for the Series C round are other automakers and […]
Vietnam Plans to Re-start Rare Earth Mining
Vietnam plans to restart its biggest rare earths mine next year. The project could greatly increase the supply of the elements to compete with China. The rare earth minerals help power advanced technologies. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says rare earths are a set of 17 metallic elements that are necessary in the production […]
3D-printed reactor core makes solar fuel production more efficient
In recent years, engineers at ETH Zurich have developed the technology to produce liquid fuels from sunlight and air. In 2019, they demonstrated the entire thermochemical process chain under real conditions for the first time, in the middle of Zurich, on the roof of ETH Machine Laboratory. These synthetic solar fuels are carbon neutral because […]
Tech company works to develop ‘denser, cheaper, and safer’ EV battery — without scarce metals
Just add water. This might be an instruction in a no-brainer baking mix or the subtitle of a show about mermaids. It’s also part of the solution tech startup AquaLith has for revolutionizing lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and other products. Of course, the company’s approach is not that simple. In fact, AquaLith aims […]
3D-printed ceramic structures will improve fuel cells to make better use of natural gas
Skoltech researchers have used an inexpensive 3D-printing technique to demonstrate the manufacturing of a ceramic part of a highly complex shape, which could be used in fuel cells, a promising technology for efficient and environmentally friendly electrical power generation. The intricate ceramic structure, which cannot be obtained by traditional manufacturing techniques, would enable fuel cells […]
