| Carbon nanotube finding could lead to flexible electronics with longer battery life Posted: 14 Jan 2015 05:27 PM PST Materials engineers have made a significant leap toward creating higher-performance electronics with improved battery life -- and the ability to flex and stretch. The team has reported the highest-performing carbon nanotube transistors ever demonstrated. In addition to paving the way for improved consumer electronics, this technology could also have specific uses in industrial and military applications.  |
| 'Kitchen of the future' here, now Posted: 14 Jan 2015 01:26 PM PST Researchers have created innovative future of kitchen designs. The kitchen design is part of a research project exploring manufacturing strategies and the greater integration of technology with architecture or, in other words, the industrial production of smart homes.  |
| Chemical dial controls attraction between water-repelling molecules Posted: 14 Jan 2015 12:29 PM PST Researchers have provided new insights on hydrophobic interactions within complex systems. They have shown how the nearby presence of polar (water-attracted, or hydrophilic) substances can change the way the nonpolar hydrophobic groups want to stick to each other.  |
| Atomic placement of elements counts for strong concrete Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:55 AM PST The forces that bind atoms and molecules can impact the strength of particulate materials like concrete. Researchers have carried out simulations to determine how the atomic placement of elements in concrete can be tuned to maximize its mechanical properties.  |
| Laser-induced graphene 'super' for electronics: Flexible, 3-D supercapacitors tested Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:55 AM PST Scientists show the practicality of turning laser-induced graphene into portable, flexible devices by making stacked supercapacitors.  |
| DNA 'smart glue' could someday be used to build tissues, organs Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:55 AM PST DNA molecules provide the 'source code' for life in humans, plants, animals and some microbes. But now researchers report an initial study showing that the strands can also act as a glue to hold together 3-D-printed materials that could someday be used to grow tissues and organs in the lab.  |
| Two-dimensional metamaterial surface manipulates light Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:52 AM PST A single layer of metallic nanostructures has been designed, fabricated and tested by a team of Penn State electrical engineers that can provide exceptional capabilities for manipulating light.  |
| A new step towards using graphene in electronic applications Posted: 14 Jan 2015 07:16 AM PST Scientists have managed, with atomic precision, to create nanostructures combining graphene ribbons of varying widths.  |
| Urban stormwater management: Permeable pavements to reduce run-off from parking lots Posted: 14 Jan 2015 04:27 AM PST Scientists have developed permeable pavements to reduce the problems caused by storm and runoff water in urban areas. The project also aims to prepare for the higher volumes of rainfall and more intense storms that can be expected in the future. The pavement solutions developed in the project are well suited for areas with low traffic volume, such as car parks, pavements, courtyards, fields and squares.  |
| Crush those clinkers while they're hot Posted: 13 Jan 2015 12:40 PM PST Clinkers pulverized to make cement should be processed right out of the kiln to save the most energy. The environmentally friendly advice is the result of a recent computational study.  |
| On-site visualization of planned buildings Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST Using a new system, architects, developers or their clients can view a 3D model of a building in its intended shape, precisely where the building is to be constructed. This will give them a much clearer, realistic impression of the design.  |
