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PolyU develops high-efficiency carbon dioxide electroreduction system for reducing carbon footprint and progressing carbon neutrality goals

Researchers from PolyU develop a durable, highly selective and energy-efficient CO2 electroreduction system that converts CO2 into ethylene for industrial purposes. The APMA system achieves high specificity of 50% and operates for over 1,000 hours at an industrial-level current of 10A.

SourceThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University·JournalNature Energy·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 29, 2024

Magnesium still has the potential to become an efficient hydrogen store

A Swiss-Polish team has found the answer to why previous attempts to use magnesium hydride for efficient hydrogen storage failed. The researchers developed a new model that predicts local, thermodynamically stable clusters are formed in magnesium during hydrogen injection, reducing hydrogen ion mobility.

The rock that creates clouds

Researchers at TU Wien discovered that feldspar's unique surface geometry provides the perfect anchoring point for water molecules, enabling efficient cloud formation. The hydroxyl layer formed on the feldspar surface allows water molecules to stick and freeze, forming clouds.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateJan 9, 2024

High-temperature superconductors, with a twist?

A Harvard University research team has demonstrated a new strategy for making and manipulating cuprate superconductors, clearing a path to engineering new forms of superconductivity. The team created a high-temperature, superconducting diode made out of thin cuprate crystals using a low-temperature device fabrication method.

SourceHarvard University·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 18, 2023

Rembrandt broke new ground with lead-based impregnation of canvas for The Night Watch

Researchers discovered a previously unknown layer of dispersed lead in the ground layer of Rembrandt's The Night Watch, using advanced analytical techniques. This finding sheds light on the artist's inventive approach to painting and highlights his efforts to improve the durability of his masterpieces.

SourceUniversiteit van Amsterdam·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 15, 2023

Harvesting water from air with solar power

Researchers have developed a promising new solar-powered technology to harvest water from air, capable of increasing daily water supply needs in dryland areas. The system uses a super hygroscopic gel to absorb and retain large amounts of water, with the potential for large-scale practical applications.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Reviews·DateDec 5, 2023

Seeing cancer’s spread through a computational window

Researchers at Duke University have developed a new computational model called Adaptive Physics Refinement (APR) that can simulate the movement of individual cancer cells across long distances within the entire human body. This approach captures detailed cellular interactions and their effects on cellular trajectory, providing valuable...

SourceDuke University·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 27, 2023

How quantum light sees quantum sound

Researchers at UEA have proposed a new method to investigate quantum-mechanical processes in molecules using quantum light. The study shows that phonon signatures can be detected in photon correlations, providing a toolbox for studying quantum sound interactions.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 24, 2023

Lasers deflected using air

Researchers at DESY have developed a method to deflect laser beams in air without contact, preserving the beam's quality. The technique uses acoustic density waves to create an invisible grating that changes the direction of the laser light.

SourceDeutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 3, 2023

FAU Engineering study employs deep learning to explain extreme events

Researchers from FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science employ a computer-vision deep learning technique to analyze wall-bounded turbulent flows. They successfully identify the sources of extreme events in a data-driven manner, providing new insights into non-linear relationships in fluid dynamics simulations.

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalPhysical Review Fluids·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 2, 2023

Successful optical biosensing using dual optical combs: High sensitivity and rapid detection of biomolecules with promising prospects

Dual optical comb technology enables high-sensitivity and rapid biomolecule detection, leveraging the connection between optical and electrical frequency signals. The approach combines the strengths of optical and electrical frequency measurement methods, offering enhanced precision and convenience in biosensing applications.

SourceInstitute of Post-LED Photonics, Tokushima University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 26, 2023

Machine learning models can produce reliable results even with limited training data

Researchers from University of Cambridge and Cornell University have developed a method to build machine learning models that can understand complex equations using far less training data. This breakthrough enables the construction of more time- and cost-efficient models for physics, engineering, and climate modeling applications.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 19, 2023

Discovery of two potential Polar Ring galaxies suggests these stunning rare clusters might be more common than previously believed.

Researchers from Queen's University have identified two potential polar ring galaxies using data from the CSIRO's ASKAP radio telescope. The discovery suggests that these rare clusters might be more common than previously believed, with implications for our understanding of galaxy evolution and dark matter research.

SourceQueen's University·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 13, 2023

Researchers discover a potential application of unwanted electronic noise in semiconductors

A team of researchers has discovered a way to harness random telegraph noises in semiconductors, generating high-amplitude signals and manifesting inherent quantum states. By introducing vanadium into tungsten diselenide, they created a device that can switch between two stable states using voltage polarity.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 10, 2023

Advancing the commercialization of two-dimensional materials: achieving the goal with UV-assisted atomic layer deposition”

A team of researchers has successfully created a high-performance graphene-dielectric interface using a novel technique called UV-assisted atomic layer deposition. This breakthrough results in uniform atomic layer deposition without compromising graphene's properties, leading to improved electrical performance and reduced defects.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·JournalAdvanced Electronic Materials·DateAug 7, 2023

Faster thin film devices for energy storage and electronics

Researchers have successfully grown high-quality single-crystalline T-Nb2O5 thin films with two-dimensional vertical ionic transport channels, enabling fast and dramatic changes in electrical properties. The material undergoes a significant electrical change upon Li insertion, allowing it to switch from an insulator to a metal.

SourceMax-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 2, 2023

Bromide ions cause ripples in semiclathrate hydrates

A recent study published in Applied Physics Letters reveals the dynamics of water molecules in tetra-n-butylammonium bromide semiclathrate hydrate using quasi-elastic neutron scattering. The research found that water molecules rapidly reorient, and their motion is consistent with breaking hydrogen bonds.

SourceOsaka University·JournalApplied Physics Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 26, 2023

Mystery of microgels solved

Soft particles called microgels can shrink abruptly when their concentration in a solvent is increased above a certain threshold, even without physical contact. Researchers have provided experimental proof of this phenomenon using neutrons from the Paul Scherrer Institute's SINQ spallation source.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 10, 2023

Science in the kitchen

Researchers from the University of Warsaw explore how kitchen phenomena lead to breakthroughs in biomedicine and nanotechnology. They describe bubbles in champagne, Leidenfrost effect, and surface tension, revealing surprising connections between food science and scientific discoveries.

SourceUniversity of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics·JournalReviews of Modern Physics·DateJun 22, 2023

Shining potential of missing atoms

A team at the University of Vienna has developed a method to controllably create single atomic vacancies in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) using ultra-high vacuum and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. This breakthrough enables the creation of defects that can emit single photons, opening up new opportunitie...

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalSmall·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 14, 2023