The University of Pittsburgh engineers have created a transparent flexible material by combining silk fibroins with carbon nanotubes, exhibiting desirable optical mechanical and chemical properties. This breakthrough has potential applications in wearable and implantable electronic devices, as well as sensors for biomedical use.
Researchers have developed a method to modify the structure of carbon nanotubes, changing their conductive properties. By stretching nanotubes, scientists can create semiconducting nanotubes suitable for microprocessors and high-precision detectors.
Scientists at Swansea University's Energy Safety Research Institute are working on a £20,000 Royal Society Research Grant to create ultra-conductive wires that can transport electricity with improved energy efficiency. By mixing copper with carbon nanotubes, they aim to reduce the 10% of electricity lost in the grid.
Researchers have developed a novel method to determine the cause of catalytic activity in complex catalysts, enabling better control over metal support interactions. The approach utilizes vertically grown carbon nanotubes as 'hydrogen highways' to separate active sites and optimize catalyst performance.
The study found that less food energy at depth makes it difficult for microbes to decompose organic carbon deposits, creating an underground storehouse. As a result, carbon is more likely to be stored long-term due to slower decomposition rates.
Researchers developed a model that predicts black carbon's direct radiative effect with high accuracy, considering particle size and mixing state. The study finds that accurately describing these factors is crucial to understanding black carbon's contribution to climate change.
Researchers developed a new type of hydrogen production catalyst with low cost, high catalytic activity, and high stability. The S, N co-doped carbon nanotube-encapsulated CoS2@Co composite exhibits excellent electrocatalytic properties, including rapid water dissociation under various operating currents.
Researchers at Aalto University developed a method to control the fabrication of carbon nanotube thin films, producing colored thin films for various applications. The breakthrough uses aerosols of metal and carbon, with small doses of carbon dioxide tuning the growth of nanotubes.
Research found that biodiversity increases live tree carbon storage by up to 20 megagrams per hectare, but has a smaller impact on overall carbon storage. Climate and site topography have a more significant effect on forest carbon storage.
Rice University engineers discovered that weak van der Waals forces between nanotubes and water molecules can align into a square rod. The research provides valuable insight on ways to leverage atomic interactions for fabricating nanochannels and energy-storing nanocapacitors.
Rice University researchers discovered that graphene reinforced with carbon nanotubes 'rebar' can withstand twice the stress of pristine graphene, making it more suitable for flexible electronics. The study demonstrated how rebar helps bridge cracks in graphene under strain.
Researchers from Lomonosov MSU and international partners demonstrate a strong light-matter interaction in suspensions and self-assembled films of tungsten disulfide nanotubes. This allows consideration of WS2 nanotubes as a platform for developing new concepts in nanotube-based photonic devices.
The Rice University scientists found that the catalyst starts nanotubes with various chiral angles but redirects almost all of them to the fast-growing variant (12,6). The cause appears to be a Janus-like interface composed of armchair and zigzag segments.
Dr. Bedewy will explore the kinetics of activation and deactivation in large populations of carbon nanotubes known as 'nanotube forests' using experimental and modeling techniques. The research aims to gain a fundamental understanding of how these forest structures behave collectively, impacting their properties for emerging applications.
A team of toxicologists led by FEFU researchers found that carbon nanotubes and silicon nanotubes exhibited acute toxic effects on Heterosigma akashiwo microalgae at concentrations as low as 100 mg/l. Silicon nanotubes were more toxic than carbon nanotubes due to their smaller size and hydrophilic properties.
Carbon nanotubes enable the creation of 'smart' materials for powering electronics, with potential applications in military technology and medical research. The unique properties of carbon nanotubes make them suitable for replacing traditional materials such as copper wire and polyester fibers.
A University of California, Davis study found that grasslands are more resilient carbon sinks than forests in 21st century California, especially when considering the impacts of droughts and wildfires. Grasslands store most of their carbon underground, making them a viable option for carbon offset efforts.
Researchers at the University of Zurich discovered that black carbon can age for millennia on land and in rivers before being exported to the ocean, forming a major long-term sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide. This finding adds a significant piece to the puzzle of understanding the global carbon cycle.
Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) enhance wellbore stability by plugging nano-sized pores in shale formations. This study investigates the effects of MWCNT & PEG on water base mud performance, revealing improved rheological properties and thermal stability.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change found that mangroves store significantly more carbon than previously estimated, with blue carbon levels underestimated by up to 50 percent and overestimated by up to 86 percent. The research provides a higher quality dataset for tropical countries to mitigate carbon enrichment.
Researchers create flexible terahertz imagers based on semiconducting carbon nanotube materials that can be fine-tuned to maximize detector performance. The findings expand the scope of terahertz applications, enabling wearable technologies and large-area photonic devices.
Researchers reexamined ocean circulations and river carbon transport, finding the Southern Ocean is a smaller carbon sink than thought. Land in the northern hemisphere absorbs less carbon, but rivers send it to the ocean with increased strength, challenging current estimates.
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed carbon nanotube optics for optical-based quantum cryptography and quantum computing. The team's work involves integrating nanotubes into photonic cavities to manipulate light-emission properties and creating single-photon emitters for quantum info-processing.
Direct air capture technology captures CO2 from the atmosphere and converts it into fresh fuels, reducing carbon footprint of transportation with minimal disruption. The resulting fuels are compatible with existing infrastructure and have ultra-low life cycle carbon intensities.
Researchers developed a novel double-layered porous nanotube structure with spatially separated photoredox surfaces for enhanced photocatalytic activity. The structure, synthesized using a self-template strategy, showed improved charge carrier separation and surface redox reaction sites.
A University of Córdoba research group has developed a method to detect pollutants in seawater at very low concentrations, focusing on parabens and triclosan used as preservatives in personal hygiene products. The new system, Lab-on-Valve, uses carbon-coated titanium dioxide nanotubes for efficient detection.
Researchers have developed a way to control spin transport in networks of the smallest electrical conductor known to man. By attaching nano-particles of gadolinium to carbon nanotubes, they increased electrical conductivity and demonstrated the Spin Valve Effect, which can enhance electron transfer in devices.
Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered a way to produce cheap and small carbon nanotubes from air, which are supermaterials stronger than steel and more conductive than copper. This breakthrough could steer the conversation towards using these materials in future technology, rather than just focusing on reducing emissions.
Boron nitride nanotubes have been enhanced using the Billups-Birch reaction process, allowing for functionalization and modification of their properties. This enables the creation of new composite materials with tunable properties, opening up possibilities for various applications.
Using cresol, researchers can disperse carbon nanotubes at unprecedentedly high concentrations without additives or harsh chemical reactions. As the concentration increases, the material transitions into a kneadable dough that can be molded and shaped like playdough.
Carbon nanotubes are proving to be highly versatile for all types of spaceflight applications, including analyzing the chemical properties of rocks and soil on airless bodies. The nanotechnology works as envisioned, emitting enough electrons to excite samples and offering significant improvements over existing instruments.
A new satellite measuring carbon balance will aid experts and politicians in addressing climate change, while providing detailed emissions data by country. The tool helps track the impact of deforestation and drought on CO2 emissions, crucial for the UN's work on reducing greenhouse gases.
A new electrode material for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity has been proposed using phosphorus-encapsulated carbon nanotubes. The electrodes showed an improvement in electrochemical reactivity and reversible charge-discharge reactions, resulting in capacities two times higher than that of graphite used in commercial LIBs.
Researchers found that smaller Ru particles increase the TOF of the reaction, while maintaining selectivity towards GVL. The smallest metal particle size (1.2 nm) showed high activity at both room and elevated temperatures.
The Chinese observation satellite TanSat has produced its first global carbon dioxide maps, providing valuable data for future climate change research. The maps show a seasonal decrease in carbon dioxide concentration from spring to summer in the Northern Hemisphere and emission hotspots due to anthropogenic activity.
Researchers estimate that 67% of organic carbon within bedrock is released during erosion, with certain microbe populations using the carbon for nourishment. The findings suggest that this process could negate geological carbon dioxide consumption and impact Earth's climate.
Scientists at Rice University and Tokyo Metropolitan University developed a novel way to manipulate light at the quantum scale by using single-walled carbon nanotubes as plasmonic quantum confinement fields. The discovery could lead to the development of unique lasers and other optoelectronic devices.
Scientists have developed diagnostic tools to improve the controllable and selective fabrication of nanomaterials. New discoveries reveal that molecular precursors govern the synthesis of carbon nanotubes in a purely carbon electric arc. This breakthrough opens the door to improved predictive modeling of nanosynthesis.
Scientists at the University of Waterloo have created a new class of semiconductors by controlling the orientation and size of single-walled carbon nanotubes. This breakthrough could lead to more powerful devices with improved battery life, as they consume less power.
Researchers have created a method to rapidly align and twist carbon nanotubes on a slide, producing short, high-strength fibers. The technique reduces production time from hours to minutes, enabling quicker testing and analysis of the fibers' properties.
Researchers at Rice University have optimized nanomaterials for fuel-cell cathodes, revealing that nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons can replace platinum to boost fuel cell efficiency. The study showed that the right balance of binding energy is crucial for good catalytic performance.
Scientists at Rice and Swansea universities discovered that removing contaminants from carbon nanotubes enhances their conductivity. Vacuum annealing at high temperatures reduced surface contamination, allowing accurate resistance measurements. This breakthrough could lead to more consistent results in nanoscale devices.
Researchers at the Energy Safety Research Institute discovered that hard-to-remove contaminants like iron catalyst, carbon, and water can skew conductivity test results. Cleaning these contaminants using vacuum annealing or argon ion bombardment can improve measurement accuracy, but may also introduce defects that degrade conductivity.
Scientists from Ural Federal University discovered a mathematical method to calculate the temperature of single-walled carbon nanotube superconductivity and developed a way to increase it. By adding a zigzag-like internal carbon chain, they increased the superconducting transition temperature by 45 degrees.
Researchers at Rice University found that purified carbon nanotubes enhance wheatgrass growth by up to 13% in water solutions. However, contaminated particles can concentrate toxins and hinder plant development. The study highlights the need for understanding nanomaterials as part of a system rather than in isolation.
Researchers at Rice University and MD Anderson Cancer Center use fluorescent carbon nanotube probes to locate specific tumors in the body. The noninvasive technique achieved first in vivo success in detecting small concentrations of nanotubes inside rodents with high accuracy.
Researchers at Kyushu University developed a method to tune the fluorescence wavelength of carbon nanotubes by tethering organic molecules. This enables fine control over the emission wavelength, with potential applications in biomedical devices and bioimaging.
Researchers at Kyushu University used spectro-electrochemistry to investigate the frequency shifts in infrared fluorescence of modified carbon nanotubes. They found that the gaps between electron energy levels depend on the elements bonded to the exterior of the nanotubes.
A study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that meadows store significantly more carbon than shrubs in high-latitude alpine zones. This discovery could have implications for carbon storage and global warming, particularly in regions where climate change is altering vegetation patterns.
Scientists from Kiel University and University of Trento create stable 3D network of carbon nanotubes using wet chemical infiltration process. The method retains beneficial properties of CNTs, enabling applications in battery technology, medical implants, sensors, and electronic components.
Researchers measured optical and electrical properties of thin carbon nanotube films, finding that they exhibit conductive behavior with few energy barriers. The team used terahertz-infrared spectroscopy to analyze the charge transfer mechanisms in these films.
Researchers discovered that certain carbon nanotubes can induce mesothelioma in mice, a type of cancer linked to asbestos. The study highlights the potential carcinogenic effects of long and thin carbon nanotubes, emphasizing the need for safer alternatives.
Pillared graphene's thermal transport was found to be faster with wrinkles due to reduced phonon scattering. The optimal configuration involves three octagons instead of six heptagons, facilitating a smoother turn without significantly stressing the graphene.
Researchers have developed a new technique, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), to accurately measure soil carbon levels in coastal wetlands like mangrove forests. This method has higher accuracy and is non-toxic, fast, and inexpensive, making it suitable for large-scale monitoring.
The research demonstrates significant potential for semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes as primary material for efficient thermoelectric generators. The discovery enables the fabrication of devices from a single material, simplifying production and improving performance.
Researchers successfully created a hybrid WO3-TiO2 nanotubes film using electrochemical anodization, achieving high photocatalytic reduction performance. The film's high specific surface area and geometric surface area factor contribute to enhanced light absorption and charge carrier generation.
Researchers at Rice University have advanced the art of making nanotube-based materials by characterizing and purifying long nanotube wires and films. The study found that longer nanotubes yield stronger and more conductive fibers, with an average tensile strength of 2.4 GPa and electrical conductivity of 8.5 megasiemens per meter.
Researchers at NASA and Binghamton University developed a new material, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), which can withstand extreme temperatures and stresses, paving the way for faster planes. The study found BNNTs could handle high amounts of stress and were extremely lightweight.
A team at Tohoku University has developed a novel approach to control the chirality of single-walled carbon nanotubes. By tuning the oxidation degree of Co catalysts, they achieved predominant synthesis of (6,4) SWNTs. This breakthrough could enable on-demand synthesis of specific-chirality SWNTs for various applications.
Scientists at NIST have developed a laboratory instrument that can measure the source of carbon in materials, enabling new applications in biofuels and bioplastics industries. The instrument uses cavity ringdown spectroscopy to detect subtle differences in CO2 wavelengths, allowing for accurate measurement of heavy CO2 concentrations.