materials science

A Swiss research group has proven that we don’t need to rush to reinvent batteries. They have improved the performance of conventional lithium ion batteries without even changing the chemical composition.

Scientists at Australian National University (ANU) accidentally improved the performance of nanolasers. The researchers’ findings could form the foundation for inexpensive biomedical sensors, quantum computing, and faster wireless communications.

GraphExeter —a material made from graphene—can be used to improve the effectiveness of large, flexible displays.

Researchers at The Institute of Photonic Sciences searched for photovoltaic technology that is thin, low-cost, flexible, and environmentally friendly, so that sustainable energy could be installed in more locations. They have developed a new kind of solar cell that is non-toxic, easy to produce, and made with abundant materials.

Researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter in the UK are developing inexpensive, high efficiency solar cells made of gold and diamond-like (amorphous) carbon. They created a cell that can potentially reach much higher temperatures than traditional surfaces because it can minimize the emission of thermal radiation.