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Innovative smart window technology balances heat and visibility control

A new smart window technology combines liquid crystals with nanoporous microparticles and a patterned vanadium dioxide layer to simultaneously control visible light and infrared radiation. The device offers fast, efficient heat and visibility management, marking a significant step forward in energy-efficient building design.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Photonics for Energy·DateJan 9, 2025

Researchers demonstrate metasurfaces that control thermal radiation in unprecedented ways

The research team has successfully demonstrated the control of thermal radiation by metasurfaces, achieving circularly polarized light with full control over emission direction. This breakthrough enables the creation of custom light sources with desired spectral, polarization, and spatial features for various applications.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 23, 2024

Customised thermal radiation

A team of researchers from TU Wien and the University of Manchester demonstrated the control of thermal radiation by manipulating its topological properties. They created a coating with varying metal layer thickness along the coastline of the British Isles, allowing for localized heat emission at specific points.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 13, 2024

Hydrogen recombination found to be most plausible explanation for high levels of energy in stellar superflares

Researchers analyzed 42 superflares using two models and concluded that hydrogen recombination is the most physically plausible explanation for high levels of energy. This model is supported by flare processes described in solar flares, which are well-studied phenomena.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateApr 15, 2024

Cool paint coatings help pedestrians feel up to 1.5 degrees Celsius cooler in urban setting, NTU Singapore field study finds

A study by NTU Singapore researchers found that cool paint coatings can reduce city heat by up to 2 degrees Celsius, improving pedestrian thermal comfort levels. The coatings reflected sunlight and absorbed less heat, resulting in cooler temperatures and reduced indoor air-conditioning energy consumption.

SourceNanyang Technological University·JournalSustainable Cities and Society·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2024

Houston, we have a solution

Researchers demonstrate that perovskite solar cells damaged by proton radiation in low-earth orbit can recover up to 100% of their original efficiency via thermal vacuum annealing. The study used ultrathin sapphire substrates and found that fluorine diffusion from the dopant causes defects, which can be reversed by heat treatment.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science·JournalAdvanced Energy Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 17, 2023

CityU awarded invention: Soft, ultrathin photonic material cools down wearable electronic devices

A research team at CityU developed a multifunctional composite polymer coating with both radiative and non-radiative cooling capacity, enhancing heat dissipation in wearable electronics. The cooling interface achieved temperature drops of over 56°C, improving the performance of skin electronic devices.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 29, 2023

Ultrafast and tunable

A study by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf team demonstrates efficient conversion of high-frequency signals into visible light using graphene-based materials. The mechanism involves a thermal radiation process, and the conversion is ultrafast and tunable.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 15, 2023

Thermal infrared reflectance characteristics of natural leaves in 8–14 μm region: mechanistic modeling and relationships with leaf water content

A research team developed a radiative transfer model for plant leaves in the thermal infrared spectrum and found that as the cuticle layer decreases, leaf reflectance increases with decreasing water content. This study provides essential theoretical foundations for understanding TIR spectral behavior of leaves.

SourceUniversity of Science and Technology of China·JournalRemote Sensing of Environment·DateJun 14, 2023

Researchers at Purdue University uncover a new method for generating spinning thermal radiation

Researchers at Purdue University have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of thermal radiation, uncovering a new method for generating spinning thermal radiation in a controlled and efficient manner. The team's findings, published in Science Advances, demonstrate the ability to generate predominantly left-handed circularly pol...

SourcePurdue University·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 3, 2023

New nanophotonic coating could aid thermal management and counter-surveillance efforts

Researchers have developed a new nanophotonic coating that can effectively manage body temperature without the need for external energy sources. The coating, which is transparent to visible light and infrared radiation, has been shown to provide a 15°C higher heating effect than commercial clothing.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateAug 25, 2022

Focused ultrasound reduces cancer pain

A phase III clinical trial shows that non-invasive magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound treatment relieves pain and improves function for most patients with bone metastases. Patients responded well to treatment, with 64 percent experiencing either no pain or a significant reduction in their pain within several days of treatment.

SourceThomas Jefferson University·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateMay 5, 2014

Shining a light on the elusive 'blackbody' of energy research

Researchers at Boston College have developed a designer metamaterial that can engineer emitted 'blackbody' radiation with an efficiency beyond natural limits, opening doors for innovative energy harvesting applications. The material's ability to control emissivity could further enhance energy conversion efficiency.

SourceBoston College·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 22, 2011