Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The conversion of solar energy into hydrogen energy represents a promising and green technique for addressing the energy shortage and reducing fossil fuel emissions. A research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) recently developed a lead-free perovskite photocatalyst that delivers highly efficient solar...
A precision arm for miniature robots
Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Until now, microscopic robotic systems have had to make do without arms. Now researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an ultrasonically actuated glass needle that can be attached to a robotic arm. This lets them pump and mix minuscule amounts of liquid and trap particles....
Breathing supercapacitor
Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Supercapacitors are energy-storage devices that complement rechargeable batteries, and could even partially replace them. Current supercapacitors do not have sufficient energy density, so they don’t last long enough. A novel approach for making a supercapacitor with a “breathing” electrode is far superior. As the team...
Swarm intelligence caused by physical mechanisms
Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Seemingly spontaneously coordinated swarm behaviour exhibited by large groups of animals is a fascinating and striking collective phenomenon. Experiments conducted by researchers at Leipzig University on laser-controlled synthetic microswimmers now show that supposed swarm intelligence can sometimes also be the result of simple and generic...
Artificial nerve cells – almost like biological
Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers at Linköping University (LiU) have created an artificial organic neuron that closely mimics the characteristics of biological nerve cells. This artificial neuron can stimulate natural nerves, making it a promising technology for various medical treatments in the future. Work to develop increasingly functional artificial...
Quantum measurements more precise than ever before
Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Measurements are not all the same. While everyday objects, e. g., the components of a car, can be measured quite easily in terms of size, weight, and composition. The situation is quite different when tiny quantum objects, such as light particles, are to be examined...
Feathered robotic wing paves way for flapping drones
Jan 13, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Birds fly more efficiently by folding their wings during the upstroke, according to a recent study (Advanced Intelligent Systems, "Robotic Avian Wing Explains Aerodynamic Advantages of Wing Folding and Stroke Tilting in Flapping Flight") led by Lund University in Sweden. The results could mean that...
Enabling nanoscale thermoelectrics with a novel organometallic molecular junction
Jan 12, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Multinuclear organometallic junctions might be the key to realizing high-performance thermoelectric devices at the nanoscale, as revealed by scientists at Tokyo Tech and Korea University. The unique electronic structure of organometallic ruthenium alkynyl complexes allowed the researchers to achieve unprecedented heat-to-electricity conversion performance in molecular...