Energy

Material Derived from Trees Could Replace Liquid Electrolytes

The material could pave the way for better, safer solid-state batteries.

Sound Waves Transport Droplets for Rewritable Lab-on-a-Chip Devices

Vibrating transducers create tunnels in a thin layer of oil to transport droplets across a chip without leaving a trace behind.

Fabrication Method for Large-Scale Production of Perovskite Solar Cells

The sulfolane-additive process yields easy fabrication, low cost, and long operating life.

Load-Bearing Material Mimics Human Cartilage

The synthetic material is soft but can withstand heavy loading with minimum wear and tear for engineering applications.

Dyeing Process Gives Textiles Electronic Properties

Textiles and items of clothing can be converted into e-textiles without affecting their original properties.

Optical Coating Exhibits the Same Color in Reflection and Transmission

Fano Resonance Optical Coatings can both transmit and reflect the same color simultaneously.

Electronic Paper Displays Brilliant Colors

Using ambient light, the reflective screen keeps energy consumption to a minimum.

Artificial Intelligence Improves Battery Health and Safety

A machine learning method promises to predict battery health with 10 times higher accuracy than the current industry standard.

Wearable Biofuel Cells Produce Electricity from Lactate

The biofuel cells can power wearable electronics purely by using human sweat.

Wearable Device Transforms the Human Body into a Biological Battery

The device is stretchy enough to wear like a ring, a bracelet, or any other accessory that touches the skin.

Polymer-Based Battery Enables Fast Charging and Low Operating Temperatures

The battery charges faster than a lithium-ion battery and is fire-safe and eco-friendly.

Eliminating Corrosion Extends Life of Lightweight Batteries

A new design could extend the shelf-life of single-use metal-air batteries for electric vehicles, off-grid storage, and other applications.

Cleaner Water Through Corn

Activated carbon made from corn stover filters 98 percent of a pollutant from water.

Recycling Battery Parts Without Crushing or Melting

The method replenishes lithium in electrodes while keeping the existing structure intact.

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Structures Using Transient and Lock-in Thermography

Applications include avionics, data storage, process control, reconfigurable manufacturing lines, and civil and structural engineering.

Engine Made as a Single Calcium Ion

The engine is approximately 10 billion times smaller than a car engine.

Implantable Stimulator Speeds Tendon Healing

The device combines with body power to treat tendon disease and damage, and sports injuries.

Preventing Short-Circuiting in Next-Generation Lithium Batteries

The approach could advance the potential of high-powered, solid-electrolyte lithium batteries.

Luminescent Windows Generate Energy from Inside and Out

Polymer cores redirect light from any source to solar cells.

Thermochromic Photovoltaic Windows

The windows reduce the need for air conditioning and simultaneously generate electricity.

Safer, Less Expensive, Fast-Charging Aqueous Battery

A new anode for aqueous batteries uses seawater as an electrolyte.

Method Recharges an Electric Car as it Drives

This practical technique uses magnetism to transmit electricity wirelessly to recharge electric cars, robots, or drones.

Sensors Eliminate Sparking in Hydrogen Vehicles

The optical-based sensor detects the presence of hydrogen without electronics, making the process much safer.

X-Ray Tomography Lets Researchers Watch Solid-State Batteries Charge and Discharge

The technology could help improve the reliability and performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Self-Propelled Nanorobots

The “nanoswimmers” could be used to remediate contaminated soil, improve water filtration, or even deliver drugs to targeted areas of the body.

Thin-Film, High-Frequency Antenna Array for Wireless Communications

The phased array antenna based on large-area electronics technology could enable many uses of emerging 5G and 6G wireless networks.

Closed Ecological System Network

The Controlled Closed-Ecosystem Development System (CCEDS) can be used to develop designs for sustainable, small-scale reproductions of subsets of the Earth’s biosphere and the Orbiting Modular...

Nanoscale Machines Convert Light into Work

The optically powered machines self-assemble and could be used for nanoscale manipulation of tiny cargo.

Let’s Get Small: New Argonne Method Greatly Improves X-Ray Nanotomography Resolution

Scientists are working to improve the image resolution of X-ray techniques.