Humidity-Resistant Hydrogen Sensor
Wherever hydrogen is present, safety sensors are required to detect leaks and prevent the formation of flammable oxyhydrogen gas when hydrogen is mixed with air. It is therefore a challenge that today’s sensors do not work optimally in humid environments — because where there is hydrogen, there is very often humidity. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a new sensor that is well suited to humid environments — and actually performs better the more humid it gets. The new humidity-tolerant hydrogen sensor from Chalmers fits on a fingertip and contains tiny particles — nanoparticles — of the metal platinum. The particles act as both catalysts and sensors at the same time. When the concentration of hydrogen gas in the environment changes, the nanoparticles change color, and at critical levels the sensor triggers an alarm.
Contact: Mia Halleröd Palmgren
+46 317-723-252
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Smart Synthetic Skin
Synthetic materials are widely used across science, engineering, and industry, but most are designed to perform only a narrow range of tasks. A research team at Penn State has developed a new fabrication technique that can produce multifunctional “smart synthetic skin.” Using this new approach, the researchers created a programmable smart skin made from hydrogel, a soft, water-rich material. The team used their new printing method to encode a photo of the Mona Lisa onto their smart skin material. The photo, which can initially appear hidden in the material, can be revealed by stretching, exposure to heat, exposure to liquid or by adjusting the material from a 2D to a 3D shape. These adaptable materials can be programmed to perform a wide variety of tasks, including hiding or revealing information, enabling adaptive camouflage, and supporting soft robotic systems.
Contact: Ty Tkacik
814-865-7517
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Flexible Nylon-Film Device
RMIT University researchers have developed a flexible nylon-film device that generates electricity from compression and keeps working even after being run over by a car multiple times, opening the door to self-powered sensors on our roads and other electronic devices. Nylon by itself does not convert movement into electricity efficiently, limiting its potential in powering everyday devices. The team used a durable industrial plastic called nylon-11 that, unlike common nylons, can generate electricity from pressure when its molecules are carefully aligned. By using sound vibrations and electrical fields to reengineer the material at a molecular level, the team turned it into a resilient power-generating film. The breakthrough tackles a long-standing problem with energy-harvesting plastics, which can produce power from movement but are often too fragile for real-world use, while also reducing carbon emissions by using ambient energy naturally present in movement and pressure.
